Automated Systems for Dispensing Food Products

ABSTRACT

A system includes a hopper, a permeable seal, a gas supply, and a receiver. The hopper includes an elongated housing holding a row of food products. The elongated housing defines a pressurized end opposite a discharge end through which the food products are dispensed. The permeable seal is interposed between an interior wall of the hopper and a surface of the piston. The permeable seal cooperates with the hopper and the piston to define a closed volume between the piston and the pressurized end. The permeable seal is configured to bleed gas from the closed volume toward the discharge end. The gas supply selectively supplies gas into the closed volume to displace the piston toward the discharge end. The receiver receives food products dispensed from the elongated housing and is positioned to allow the food products to move along at least partially by gravity.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/868,787 filed Sep. 29, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/056,971 filed Sep. 29, 2014 and U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/056,976 filed Sep. 29, 2014. The entiredisclosures of the applications referenced above are incorporated byreference.

FIELD

This invention relates generally to the field of food preparation andmore specifically to new and useful systems and methods for dispensingfood products.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representations of a first system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representations of one variation of the firstsystem;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representations of one variation of the firstsystem;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan representations of a second system and onevariation of the first system;

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are schematic representations of one variation ofthe second system;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of one variation of the secondsystem;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart representation of one method for dispensing andslicing whole bread buns;

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of a third system;

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of one variation of the thirdsystem;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are a graphical representations of variations of thethird system;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart representation of one variation of the thirdsystem;

FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of one variation of the thirdsystem; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic representation of one variation of the thirdsystem.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of embodiments of the invention is notintended to limit the invention to these embodiments but rather toenable a person skilled in the art to make and use this invention.Variations, configurations, implementations, example implementations,and examples described herein are optional and are not exclusive to thevariations, configurations, implementations, example implementations,and examples they describe. The invention described herein can includeany and all permutations of these variations, configurations,implementations, example implementations, and examples.

1. Bun Dispenser

As shown in FIG. 1, a first system 100 for dispensing bread buns into abun slicing mechanism, includes: a receiver; a hopper 120 including asubstantially transparent elongated housing configured to contain a rowof whole bread buns, defining a discharge end configured to transientlyengage the receiver 110 and to dispense whole bread buns into thereceiver 110, and defining a pressurized end opposite the discharge end;a piston 130 arranged within the hopper 120 between the pressurized endof the hopper 120 and the row of whole bread buns; a permeable seal 132interposed between an interior wall of the hopper 120 and an adjacentsurface of the piston 130, the permeable seal 132 cooperating with thehopper 120 and the piston 130 to define a closed volume between thepressurized end of the hopper 120 and the piston 130, the permeable seal132 configured to bleed gas from the closed volume toward the dischargeend of the hopper 120; a gas supply 140 intermittently supplying gasinto the closed volume to displace the piston 130 toward the dischargeend of the hopper 120; and a roller 112 arranged between the hopper 120and the receiver 110 and extending into a boundary defined by across-section of the hopper 120 projected toward the receiver 110parallel to an axis of the hopper 120.

1.1 Applications

Generally, the first system 100 for dispensing bread buns (herein after“bun dispenser”) functions to sequentially dispense whole bread bunsstored in one or more hoppers into a slicing mechanism (shown in FIG. 4)prior to application of a dairy fat (e.g., butter) onto and toasting ofsliced surfaces of bun crowns and bun heels. In particular, the bundispenser can include a hopper 120, a piston 130 arranged within thehopper 120 behind a row of whole buns, and a gas supply 140 thatintermittently pumps gas into a volume behind the piston 130 to advancethe piston 130 forward, thereby driving whole buns out of the hopper 120and into an adjacent slicing mechanism. The bun dispenser can thereforeinclude a single moving component in contact with bread buns stored inthe hopper 120, thereby minimizing complexity of the system, minimizingcomponent wear, and maintaining relatively high cleanability of thesystem, etc.

The first system 100 can also include a sensor configured to detect arelative position of the row of whole buns in the hopper 120, and thebun dispenser can be configured to dispense a single bread bun perdispense cycle by implementing closed loop feedback to commence andcease supply of gas to the volume behind the piston 130 based on outputsof the sensor. In particular, rather than index the piston 130 todiscrete, preset positions along the length of the hopper 120, the bundispenser can advance and pause the piston 130 at any position along thelength of the hopper 120 by controlling fluid pressure behind the piston130. The bun dispenser can also include a permeable seal 132 interposedbetween the piston 130 and the interior wall of the hopper 120 andconfigured to bleed gas pressure from behind the piston 130 such thatthe piston 130 stops relatively quickly once the gas supply 140 isclosed without necessitating active evacuation of gas from behind thepiston 130 with a secondary pump and without necessitating actuation ofa pressure release valve 141 fluidly coupled to the volume behind thepiston 130. The hopper 120 can therefore be loaded with various types ofwhole buns of different geometries, and the bun dispenser can dispense asingle bun per dispense cycle regardless of bun type loaded into thehopper 120 without necessitating selection of alternative preset piston130 positions or physical modification of any subcomponent with the bundispenser to accommodate for a different bread bun geometry. Similarly,the hopper 120 can be loaded with a row of a single type of whole breadbun exhibiting significant variations in bun width, height, mass, and/ortexture, etc.—such as gourmet brioche buns that vary from 2.5″ to 5″ indiameter and from 2″ to 3.5″ in height—and the bun dispenser canimplement closed-loop techniques to selectively open and close the gassupply 140 based on outputs of the sensor in order to advance the piston130 until a bun is dispensed and to then stop the piston 130 before asecond bun is dispensed from the hopper 120 in the same dispense cycle.Elements within the first system 100 can therefore cooperate tocompensate for variations in geometry of buns of a single bread bun typeloaded into the hopper 120.

The bun dispenser can define a subsystem within an automated foodstuffassembly system including one or more other subsystems that cooperate toautomatically prepare, assemble, and deliver foodstuffs for and/or toconsumers. For example, the automated foodstuff assembly system caninclude a patty grinding subsystem that grinds and presses customhamburger patties from raw meat (e.g., based on custom patty orders), apatty grilling subsystem that grills patties (e.g., rare, medium, orwell-done based on custom patty orders), a bun slicing mechanism thatslices buns received from the bun dispenser (as described below), a bunbuttering subsystem that applies butter to each side of sliced bunsprior to toasting the sides of the bun (as described below), a buntoaster subsystem that toasts each side of the bun (as described below),a topping module that loads toppings onto bun heels (e.g., based oncustom topping orders), and a boxing subsystem 350 that closes completedhamburgers into paper boxes for delivery to patrons. The bun dispensercan similarly deliver bread products for assembly into sandwiches,hotdogs, burritos, tacos, wraps, or other foodstuffs, such as accordingto custom food orders. The bun dispenser can therefore be incorporatedinto an automated foodstuff assembly system to store and then dispense afresh, whole, and/or locally-sourced bread bun into a slicing mechanismonly one an order for a foodstuff is submitted and as the foodstuff isbeing fulfilled.

The bun dispenser can include a substantially transparent sectioncontaining fresh buns and a minimum of moving components such that thebuns are visible to patrons near the automated foodstuff assembly systemsubstantially without visual obstruction, such that a number of (moving)components and materials near and in contact with whole bread bunsduring operation of the bun dispenser is substantially limited, and/orsuch that the components of the bun dispenser remain substantiallysimple and straightforward to disassemble and to clean (e.g., by a humanoperator). The bun dispenser can further include multiple receivers andmultiple hoppers, each configured to store multiple buns and installedin a corresponding receiver, and the bun dispenser can include aprocessor 150 configured to interface with one or more gas supplies,valves, reservoirs, and/or pumps, etc. to sequentially, intermittently,and cyclically dispense buns from the hopper 120(s) into a singleslicing mechanism, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 and described below.

The bun dispenser is described herein as a system for dispensinghamburger buns, such as whole gourmet brioche buns. However, the bundispenser can additionally or alternatively dispense bread loaves, hotdog buns, rolls, bagels, or any other suitable bread or grain product ofany other form or format. The slicing mechanism (or “bun slicer”) cansimilarly slice bread loaves, hot dog buns, rolls, or any other suitablebread product of any other form or format.

1.2 Receiver

The bun dispenser includes a receiver 110 arranged over a bun slicingmechanism and/or over a buttering and toasting system within theautomated foodstuff assembly apparatus and functions to receive bunsdispensed from the discharge end of a connected hopper 120. The receiver110 can receive a hopper 120, transiently retain the hopper 120 inplace, release the hopper 120 once emptied, and then receive a second,full hopper 120 filled with a row of whole bread buns. For example, thereceiver 110 can include a (manually- or automatically-actuated) lock orlatch that engages the hopper 120 to constrain the hopper 120 inalignment over an adjacent slicing mechanism. The receiver 110 can alsoinclude one or more features that locate the discharge end of the hopper120, such as vertically and horizontally, with a long axis of the hopper120 parallel to an inlet of the receiver 110, and the receiver 110 candefine an internal cross-section of sufficient size and geometry toreceive whole bread buns from the hopper 120 and to guide whole breadbuns into the slicing mechanism and/or toaster below.

In one variation, the bun dispenser also includes a receptacle 116offset from the receiver 110, fluidly coupled to the gas supply 140,configured to transiently receive and to seal against the pressurizedend of the hopper 120, and configured to cooperate with the receiver 110to transiently support the hopper 120. In this variation, the receptacle116 can be arranged in-line with and longitudinally offset from thereceiver 110, as shown in FIG. 1, and the receptacle 116 can lock and/orengages the pressurized end of the hopper 120, thereby cooperating withthe receiver 110 to transiently constrain the hopper 120 in positionduring dispensation of buns from the hopper 120. In one example, thereceptacle 116 (and/or the receiver 110) is spring loaded and can beretracted longitudinally away from the receiver 110—such as manually byan operator—to release the hopper 120 once emptied of buns; thereceptacle 116 can be similarly retracted to accept a second hopperloaded with buns. In this example, the receptacle 116 can be released,and a spring or damper coupled to the receptacle 116 can drive thereceptacle 116 into a pressurized end of the second hopper to retain thesecond hopper in place in preparation for dispensation of buns from thesecond hopper, as described below.

However, the bun dispenser can include a receiver and/or a receptacle116 of any other form or geometry and configured to transiently (i.e.,removably) support hoppers in any other suitable way.

1.3 Hopper

The bun dispenser includes a hopper 120 including a substantiallytransparent elongated housing configured to contain a row of whole breadbuns, defining a discharge end configured to transiently engage thereceiver 110 and to dispense whole bread buns into the receiver 110, anddefining a pressurized end opposite the discharge end. Generally, thehopper 120 functions as a container for storing a row of whole breadbuns and dispenses buns, through its discharge end, into the receiver110 as the piston 130 is driven longitudinally through the hopper 120toward the receiver 110. As described above, the hopper 120 can betransiently (i.e., removably) coupled to the receiver 110 and cantherefore be removed and replaced with a second, full hopper 120 loadedwith a second row of buns while the (first) hopper 120 is replenishedwith buns.

The hopper 120 can be of a length suitable to contain multiple wholebread buns in a row (i.e., a “full” hopper 120). For example, the hopper120 can be approximately four feet in length, which may sufficient tohold at least ten buns averaging four inches in diameter (with somedeviation in diameter and height) when the buns are arranged side byside in a row within the hopper 120. Alternatively, the hopper 120 canstore multiple buns in a stack with the heel of one bun in arranged over(or under) a crown of an adjacent bun. However, the hopper 120 can storeany other number of buns in any other arrangement.

The hopper 120 can define a rectilinear, curvilinear, circular, orelliptical cross-section or a cross-section of any other suitable formto accommodate one or more types of whole bread buns, such as sufficientto accommodate a particular type of bun characterized by relatively highvariability (e.g., 50%) in diameter, height, and/or shape. However, thehopper 120 can define an internal cross-section of any other formsuitable to accommodate a set of buns arranged in a row, stack, or otherformat.

In one implementation, the hopper 120 defines a rectangular internalcross-section and stores buns arranged side by side in a row. In thisimplementation, the receiver 110 (and the receptacle 116) can supportthe hopper 120 such that the longitudinal axis of the hopper 120 issubstantially parallel to the ground but such that the bottom (planar)surface of the hopper 120 is held at an angle to the horizon (i.e.,nonparallel to gravity), such as at an angle of 20°, as shown in FIG. 2.In one example, the hopper 120 can define a first planar surface (e.g.,a side) and a second planar surface (e.g., a bottom) substantiallyperpendicular to the first planar surface, wherein the first planarsurface extends from the pressurized end to the discharge end and isconfigured to support a vertical side of each whole bread bun in the rowof whole bread buns, and wherein the second planar surface extends fromthe pressurized end to the discharge end and is configured to support abottom side of each bun in the row of whole bread buns. In this example,the receiver 110 can support the hopper 120 with the first planarsurface of the hopper 120 at an angle of approximately 45° to gravity.In this example, buns contained in the hopper 120 can be drawn into alowest corner of the hopper 120 defined by the first and second planarsurfaces by gravity. The first and second planar surfaces can thereforecooperate to locate buns in a reference corner of the hopper 120; thus,as the piston 130 is advanced forward toward the discharge end of thehopper 120 to dispense a whole bread bun from the hopper 120, gravitycan maintain buns substantially in alignment in the hopper 120.

In the foregoing implementation, the heel of each whole bun stored inthe hopper 120 can rest on bottom surface of the hopper 120, and a sideof each bun stored in the hopper 120 can rest—due to gravity—on a sideof the hopper 120 perpendicular to the bottom surface of the hopper 120,as shown in FIG. 2. The receiver 110 can therefore orient the hopper 120such that the bottom surface of the hopper 120 and an adjacent (e.g.,perpendicular) side of the hopper 120 constrains buns contained thereinin two degrees of translation, thereby substantially reducingopportunity for buns stored in the hopper 120 to pack or “bunch” withinthe hopper 120 as the piston 130 drives the row buns toward the receiver110.

As described above, the hopper 120 can include a transparent section toenable an operator, a patron, and/or a sensor to visually (or optically)detect a status of the row of buns contained in the hopper 120, such aswhat type and number of buns currently stored in the hopper 120. Forexample, the hopper 120 can include a glass (e.g., borosilicate) orpolymer (e.g., acrylic, polycarbonate) tube: open at the discharge end;including features proximal the discharge end that engage the receiver110; open at the pressurized end; and including features proximal thedischarge that engage the receptacle 116. In the variation of the systemthat includes a receptacle 116, as described above: the receptacle 116can close and seal against the pressurized end of the hopper 120 whenthe hopper 120 is installed in the automated foodstuff assemblyapparatus; and the gas supply 140 can be (intransiently) connecteddirectly to the receptacle 116 and can release gas into the hopper 120through the receptacle 116 when the hopper 120 is installed in theautomated foodstuff assembly apparatus. Alternatively, the hopper 120can be closed at the pressurized end of the tube, and the gas supply 140can connect directly to the hopper 120 at the pressurized end, such aswith a quick-disconnect coupler.

The hopper 120 can further include perforations along its bottom and/oralong one or more adjacent sides, such as relatively small (e.g.,500-micron-diameter) perforations along the first planar surface and/oralong the second planar surface of the hopper 120 described above, andthe bun dispenser can include a second gas supply that supplies gas to achamber(s) behind these perforations in the hopper 120 when the hopper120 is installed in the receiver 110. In this implementation, theperforations can bleed gas from the chamber to form a cushion of gasunder buns stored in the hopper 120, thereby reducing stiction betweenbuns and adjacent surfaces in the hopper 120 and/or reducing opportunityfor buns to stick to interior surfaces hopper 120. In this variation,the second gas supply can supply nitrogen, argon, or another inert gasto the hopper 120 to maintain freshness of buns stored therein.Alternatively, the second gas supply can supply heated and/or humidifiedair or steam to the hopper 120 in order to preserve a target moisturecontent and/or temperature of the buns stored in the hopper 120. Yetalternatively, the second gas supply can supply heated or cooled air orcarbon dioxide or any other suitable (food-safe) gas to the hopper 120.

The hopper 120 can further include a handle—or an engagement featurethat accepts a handle—that enables an operator to grasp the hopper 120when transported to and from the receiver 110. For example, an operatortasked with maintaining an automated foodstuff assembly apparatusincluding the bun dispenser can: installed a removable handle onto thehopper 120 once the hopper 120 is emptied; remove the hopper 120 fromthe receiver 110; load the hopper 120 with whole fresh bread buns from alocal supplier; return the hopper 120 to the receiver 110; and thenrelease the handle from the hopper 120 to complete installation of thehopper 120 into the receiver 110. In this example, the bun dispenser caninclude a second receiver, a second hopper, and a second piston 130—asdescribed below—that dispenses buns from a second column of buns whilethe (first) hopper 120 is removed from the bun dispenser for reloading.

1.4 Piston and Seal

The bun dispenser includes a piston 130 arranged within the hopper 120between the pressurized end of the hopper 120 and the row of whole breadbuns. Generally, the piston 130 translates longitudinally within thehopper 120 to displace a row (or a stack) of buns toward the receiver110, thereby dispensing buns from the hopper 120. In particular, the gassupply 140 supplies gas at an elevated pressure (i.e., a pressureexceeding local atmospheric pressure) to the closed volume behind thepiston 130 to displace the piston 130 forward toward the receiver 110.Therefore, the piston 130 (in-unit with the permeable seal 132) candefine the single moving component within the bun dispenser thatdispenses buns into the slicing mechanism.

The bun dispenser also includes a permeable seal 132 interposed betweenan interior wall of the hopper 120 and an adjacent surface of the piston130, wherein the permeable seal 132 cooperates with the hopper 120 andthe piston 130 to define a closed volume between the pressurized end ofthe hopper 120 and the piston 130, and wherein the permeable seal 132 isconfigured to bleed gas from the closed volume toward the discharge endof the hopper 120. Generally, the permeable seal 132 functions to forman incomplete (e.g., “loose”) seal between the piston 130 and theinterior wall of the hopper 120 such that fluid pressure in the closedvolume behind the piston 130 bleeds through (or past) the seal, therebyenabling the closed volume return to (near) local atmospheric pressurewhen the gas supply 140 is closed (e.g., without opening a pop-off valve143 or actively pumping gas out of the closed volume with a second pumpfluidly coupled to the closed volume).

In one implementation, the piston 130 includes a substantially rigidmass defining a first end facing the pressurized end of the hopper 120,defining a second end facing the dispense end of the hopper 120, anddefining an external dimension (e.g., cross section) undersized for theinternal cross-section of the hopper 120. In one example, the permeableseal 132 includes a first perforated polymer seal arranged about thecircumference of the piston 130 adjacent the first end of the piston 130and a second perforated polymer seal arranged about the circumference ofthe piston 130 adjacent the second end of the piston 130. In thisexample, the first perforated polymer seal can include a closed-cellsilicone-foam ring with perforations extending through the ringsubstantially parallel to the long axis of the hopper 120. The secondpolymer seal can include a similar closed-foam silicone ring and cancooperate with the first perforated polymer seal to bleed gas from thefirst end of the piston 130 to the second end of the piston 130. Inanother example, the permeable seal 132 includes a felt seal arrangedabout the perimeter of the piston 130 and sized to engage the internalsurface of hopper 120 according to a running fit. In yet anotherexample, the permeable seal 132 includes a food-safe open-celled foam.However, the bun dispenser can include a seal of any other suitablematerial, geometry, or arrangement on the piston 130.

The permeable seal 132 can thus allow gas pressure to build behind thepiston 130 when gas is released from the gas supply 140 into the hopper120 but can also allow gas to seep past the piston 130 such that gaspressure on each side of the piston 130 may relatively quicklyequilibrate once the gas supply 140 is closed to the hopper 120. Inparticular, because the permeable seal 132 mas permit gas may leak pastthe piston 130, the piston 130 may stop substantially immediately whenthe gas supply 140 is closed, thereby enabling substantially accuratecessation of bun row advancement once a bun is dispensed from the hopper120 during a dispense cycle by merely closing the gas supply 140 with adispense event is detected. The bun dispenser can therefore exclude oneor more sensors that may otherwise be sampled to monitor gas pressurebehind the piston 130 and/or to monitor a volume of gas released intothe hopper 120 to displace the piston 130 toward the receiver 110. Forexample, the bun dispenser can exclude both a pressure sensor arrangedwithin or coupled to the hopper 120 can configured to detect gaspressure inside the hopper 120 and a flow meter coupled to the gassupply 140 to detect quantities of gas pumped into the hopper 120.

Alternatively, the piston 130 can be sealed to the hopper 120 with animpermeable seal 132 ed (e.g., a pair of solid (i.e., unperforated)silicone O-rings), and the piston 130 can include one or more bores (ofsubstantially small cross-sectional area) configured to bleed gas frombehind the piston 130 toward the receiver 110. In particular, the piston130 can include multiple bores of substantially small cross-section suchthat gas pressure can build behind the piston 130 when the gas supply140 is opened but such that gas can seep past the piston 130 passivelyto enable gas pressure on each side of the piston 130 to equilibraterelatively quickly—thereby enabling the piston 130 to slow to a stopinside the hopper 120 relatively quickly—once the gas supply 140 isclosed (e.g., in response to detection of a dispense event), asdescribed above. However, the bun dispenser can include a piston 130and/or a permeable sea configured to bleed gas pressure through and/oracross the piston 130 in any other suitable way.

In one example, the piston 130 includes a substrate of solid hardwood,such as carved or machined walnut or cherry. Alternatively, the piston130 can include a metallic substrate, such as cast aluminum or machinedsteel, or a polymer substrate, such as injection-molded nylon or castpolycarbonate. The piston 130 can also be sized (or undersized) to matewith the interior wall of the hopper 120. For example, for a hopper 120defining a rectangular cross-section 6″ wide and 4″ tall, the piston 130can define a rectilinear substrate 5.8″ wide and 3.8″ tall. In thisexample, the permeable seal 132 can include a first perforated polymerseal and a second perforated polymer seal, each 0.12″ in height andconfigured to crush to 0.1″ in height between the piston 130 and theinterior wall of the hopper 120 when installed about the circumferenceof the first end and the second end, respectively, of the hopper 120.However, the piston 130 can be of any other suitable material orgeometry.

The rear of the piston 130 can further define a well 131, as shown inFIG. 3, such that gas under pressure behind the piston 130 acts on thepiston 130 substantially near the leading face of the piston 130 toadvance the piston 130 toward the receiver 110, which may substantiallylimit a tendency of the piston 130 to pitch within the hopper 120. Thepiston 130 can also include a tongue 133 extending toward the dischargeend of the hopper 120 and over a crown of a whole bread bun, in the rowof whole bread buns, adjacent the piston 130, as shown in FIG. 1.Generally, the tongue 133 can function to constrain the bottom surfaceof the last bun in the row of buns (i.e., the bun adjacent the piston130) against the bottom surface (e.g., the second planar surface) of thehopper 120. In particular, the tongue 133 can prevent the last bun therow of buns from pitching relatively to the hopper 120 as the piston 130is advanced forward along the hopper 120 and pushes the row of bunstoward the receiver 110. In one example, the tongue 133 includes astatic, cantilevered beam extending outwardly from the second end of thepiston 130 at a height about the bottom surface of the hopper 120 (e.g.,the second planar surface of the hopper 120) by a distance approximatingan average (or allowable maximum) height of the type of whole bread bunloaded into the hopper 120. In another example, the tongue 133 include asubstantially rigid beam extending from the second of the hopper 120 andsprung downward toward the bottom of the hopper 120. In this example,the tongue 133 can then be spring downward toward and can rest on thetop of the last bun in the row of buns stored in the hopper 120.Furthermore, in this example, the tongue 133 can include a stop thatprevents the tongue 133 from pivoting (or translating) upwardly awayfrom the bottom surface of the hopper 120 by more than the allowablemaximum height of the type of whole bread bun loaded into the hopper120.

In one implementation, the piston 130 is unique to (i.e., remain with)the hopper 120. In particular, the piston 130 can remain with the hopper120 when the hopper 120 is both installed in the automated foodstuffassembly apparatus to dispense buns into the slicing mechanism andremoved from the automated foodstuff assembly apparatus, such as forreloading with buns. For example, the hopper 120 can define features ateach open end to prevent the piston 130 from passing fully through thehopper 120, such as when the piston 130 moves fully toward the receiver110 once the last bun is dispensed from the hopper 120 or when thepiston 130 is retracted toward the pressurized end of the hopper 120 inpreparation for reloading the spent hopper 120 with more buns. In thisexample, these features that capture the piston 130 within the hopper120 can also be operable to release the piston 130 from the hopper 120,such as by an operator in preparation for separately cleaning the hopper120 and the piston 130.

Alternatively, the piston 130 can remain with the automated foodstuffassembly apparatus when the emptied hopper 120 is removed from theautomated foodstuff assembly apparatus and replaced with a full hopper120. For example, upon dispensation of a last bun from the hopper 120,gas (e.g., air) can be withdrawn from the hopper 120 between thetrailing face of the piston 130 and the pressurized end of the hopper120—such as through the gas supply 140 or through a gas return linecoupled to the hopper 120—to yield a partial vacuum within the hopper120. In this example, the partial vacuum can draw the piston 130 backtoward the pressurized end of the hopper 120 and fully into thereceptacle 116 adjacent the pressurized end of the hopper 120. Thehopper 120 can then be removed from the apparatus sans the piston 130, afull hopper 120 filled with buns can be installed in the apparatus, andthe piston 130 can then be moved forward into the full hopper 120 byintroducing as under pressure into the full hopper 120 to displace bunstoward and into the receiver 110.

1.5 Gas Supply

The bun dispenser includes a gas supply 140 configured to intermittentlysupply gas into the closed volume to displace the piston 130 toward thedischarge end of the hopper 120. Generally, the gas supply 140 functionsto supply gas under pressure to the hopper 120 behind the piston 130 todisplace the piston 130 toward the receiver 110 during a dispense cycle,thereby dispensing a bun from the hopper 120 into the receiver 110,which then releases the bun into the slicing mechanism for subsequentslicing into a bun crown and a bun heel.

In one implementation, the gas supply 140 is connected substantiallyintransiently to the receptacle 116 opposite the receiver 110 andincludes a flexible line that absorbs movement of the receptacle 116,such as when the receptacle 116 is retracted during removal of a spenthopper 120 and when the receptacle 116 is retracted during installationof a full hopper 120. Alternatively, the gas supply 140 can betransiently connected directly to the hopper 120, such as with a quickdisconnect coupler such that the gas supply 140 can be quickly connectedand disconnected from each new hopper 120 installed in the receiver 110.

The gas supply 140 can includes a reservoir 142, a pump 144, a gasgenerator, and/or any other suitable type of gas pressure devicearranged in the automated foodstuff assembly apparatus and configured tooutput pressurized gas, such as air, argon, or nitrogen at pressuresexceeding local ambient air pressure. Alternatively, the gas supply 140can couple the hopper 120 (or the receptacle 116) to an externalpressurized gas line that supplies gas to the automated foodstuffassembly apparatus. The gas supply 140 can additionally or alternativelyinclude a valve 141 (shown in FIG. 3) arranged between a gas pressuredevice and the hopper 120, such as a solenoid valve 141.

As described above, the gas supply 140 functions to supply gas to thehopper 120 to increase fluid pressure behind the piston 130, which inturn displaces the piston 130 toward the discharge end of the hopper120. However, a weak or loose seal between the hopper 120 and the piston130 may allow gas to seep passed the piston 130 such that gas pressureon each side of the piston 130 may to equalize relatively quickly,thereby stopping the piston 130 stop relatively abruptly when the gassupply 140 is closed (e.g., when the valve 141 is closed, when the gaspressure device is deactivated). The bun dispenser can therefore closethe gas supply 140 in response to detected dispensation of a bun throughthe receiver 110, and the permeable seal 132 between the piston 130 andthe hopper 120 (and/or a bore passing through the piston 130) bleed gasacross the piston 130 such as fluid pressure equilibrates on each sideof the piston 130, thereby enabling substantially precise (i.e.,accurate and repeatable) position control of the piston 130 withoutnecessitating close monitoring of the gas pressure within the hopper 120and without monitoring a volume of gas pumped into the hopper 120 behindthe piston 130.

Furthermore, because the permeable seal 132 may bleed gas from behindthe piston 130 into the volume of the hopper 120 containing buns, thegas supply 140 can supply a particular type and/or quality of gassupplied to the closed volume behind the piston 130. For example, thegas supply 140 can release an inert gas (e.g., argon, nitrogen) from apressurized inert gas reservoir 142 into the closed volume behind thepiston 130. Alternatively, the gas supply 140 can include a pump 144 anda humidifier that cooperate to supply humidified air into the hopper120, such as to maintain a target moisture content of the row of buns.

In one implementation, the gas supply 140 includes a pop-off valve 143fluidly coupled to the pressurized end of the hopper 120, such as inaddition to or in replacement of the permeable seal 132. In thisimplementation, the bun dispenser can open the pop-off valve 143 inresponse to detection of a dispense event (i.e., in response to releaseof a whole bread bun, in the row of whole bread buns, into the receiver110) during a dispense cycle. The bun dispenser can therefore activelyrelease fluid pressure behind the piston 130 by actuating the pop-offvalve 143. The pop-off valve 143 can be fluidly connected to the gassupply 140, such as between a solenoid valve 141 and the hopper 120.Alternatively, gas supply 140 can include a valve 141 that selectivelyopens the hopper 120 to a pressure reservoir 142 or other gas pressuredevice and to ambient; the valve 141 in the gas supply 140 can thusfunction as a pop-off valve 143.

However, the bun dispenser can manipulate fluid pressure behind thepiston 130 in any other suitable way.

1.6 Sensors

In one variation, the bun dispenser includes one or more sensors thatoutput signals corresponding to the position of the row of buns in thehopper 120 and/or to dispensation of a bun into the slicing mechanism.

In one implementation, the bun dispenser includes a distance sensor 160aligned with the axis of the hopper 120 opposite the receiver 110 andconfigured to output a signal proportional to a distance between thedistance sensor 160 and a surface of a nearest whole bread bun in therow of whole bread buns arranged in the hopper 120. For example, thedistance sensor 160 can include an optical (e.g., laser) or acoustic(e.g., sonar) distance sensor 160 offset from the receiver 110 ahead ofthe hopper 120 and defining a field of view extending from the dispenseend of the hopper 120 toward the pressurized end of the hopper 120. Thebun dispenser can thus sample the distance sensor 160 to determine aposition—in the hopper 120—of a whole bread bun approaching the receiver110.

The bun dispenser can also include a mechanical contact switch, opticalbreak switch, or any other suitable type of switch or sensor proximalthe dispense end of the hopper 120, such as within or across an outletof the receiver 110. The bun dispenser can sample the switch to identifya dispense event, such as in addition to sampling the distance sensor160 to achieve sensor redundancy in the system. However, the bundispenser can include any other number and/or type of sensor configuredto output a signal corresponding to a position of a bun in the system.

1.7 Roller

The bun dispenser can also include a roller 112 proximal an outlet ofthe receiver 110 between the receiver 110 and the slicing mechanism. Inthis variation, the roller 112 can function as a soft or rolling stopfor whole buns passing into the receiver 110 to prevent multiple bunsfrom dropping into the slicing mechanism below as the piston 130 slowswithin the hopper 120 once a whole bread bun has been dispensed and oncethe gas supply 140 has been closed. In one implementation, the roller112 is arranged between the hopper 120 and the receiver 110 and extendsinto a boundary defined by a cross-section of the hopper 120 projectedtoward the receiver 110 parallel to an axis of the hopper 120.

In the implementation described above in which the hopper 120 defines arectangular cross section including a first planar surface (e.g., aside) and a second planar surface (e.g., a bottom), the roller 112 canbe interposed between hopper 120 and the receiver 110 with an axis ofthe roller 112 parallel to (e.g., offset below, offset above, or alignedwith) the second planar surface (e.g., the bottom) of the hopper 120.The roller 112 can include a cylindrical roller supported on bearings orbushings and can define a rolling surface that extends into the dispenseend of the hopper 120. The roller 112 can thus impede a row of bunsremaining in the hopper 120 from continuing to move into the receiver110 following a dispense event. However, the roller 112 can rotateacross the bottom of a bun as the row of buns is actively driven towardthe dispense end of the hopper 120 by the piston 130 in order tomitigate physical damage to a bun forced past the roller 112 during adispense cycle.

The bun dispenser can also include a second roller 113 that similarlydefines a second rotational axis parallel to the second planar surface(e.g., the side) of the hopper 120 and that defines a second rollingsurface offset from the second planar surface toward the axis of thehopper 120. The second roller 113 can rotate across the side of a firstbun in the row of buns as the row of buns is actively driven toward thedispense end of the hopper 120 by the piston 130, and the second roller113 can cooperate with the (first) roller 112 to impede a row of bunsremaining in the hopper 120 from continuing to move into the receiver110 once the first bun is dispensed into the receiver 110.

The bun dispenser can additionally or alternatively include a flapextending into a path of the row of buns and similarly functioning toinhibit release of a whole bread bun, in the row of whole bread buns,into the receiver 110. For example, the flap can include a silicone-foamflap or a spring-loaded rigid beam coupled to an inlet of the receiver110 and extending from proximal the first planar surface (e.g., theside) of the hopper 120 and toward the long axis of the hopper 120 in aninitial position. The flap can deflect away from the pressurized end ofthe hopper 120 as a first bun is actively driven past the flap andthrough the receiver 110, but the flap can return to the initialposition to inhibit advancement of a second bun behind the first bunonce the first bun is dispensed from the hopper 120, the gas supply 140is closed, and the piston 130 has ceased advancement within the hopper120.

1.7 Dispensing Operation

Generally, the bun dispenser selectively opens the gas supply 140 to thehopper 120 during each dispense cycle to pressurize the closed volumebetween the piston 130 and the pressurized end of the hopper 120. Duringa dispense cycle, gas under pressure in the closed volume acts on thepiston 130, thereby displacing the piston 130 toward the discharge endof the hopper 120, which displaces the row of whole bread buns towardthe receiver 110. Once a dispense event is detected (i.e., once a singlebread bun is released into the receiver 110), the bun dispenser closedthe gas supply 140 to cease advancement of the piston 130 and to ceaseadvancement of buns into the receiver 110.

In one implementation, the bun dispenser selectively actuates a gasgenerator (e.g., a nitrogen generator) or a pump 144 coupled to thehopper 120 to intermittently pressurize the closed volume behind thepiston 130. Alternatively, the bun dispenser can trigger a valve 141arranged between the hopper 120 and a reservoir 142 containing gas underpressure (e.g., arranged within or external to the automated foodstuffassembly system) to selectively release gas from the reservoir 142 intothe hopper 120. The bun dispenser can also selectively actuate ahumidifier in-line with the gas supply 140 to control a moisture contentof gas (e.g., air) release into the hopper 120.

In one implementation, the bun dispenser opens gas supply 140 (e.g.,opens a valve 141, actuates a pump 144, etc.) to release a preset volume(or mass) of gas into the closed volume behind the piston 130. In thisimplementation, the bun dispenser can set or select the preset volume ofgas to achieve a target displacement distance of the piston 130 towardthe discharge end of the hopper 120 corresponding to a minimum oraverage diameter of a type of bread bun loaded into the hopper 120. Inthis variation, bun dispenser can release a constant, initial volume ofgas into the hopper 120 for each dispense cycle. For example, the bundispenser can open the gas supply 140 (e.g., trigger a valve 141 toopen) for a preset period of time, such as two seconds, corresponding tothe initial volume of gas to advance the piston 130 forward by thetarget distance for each dispense cycle. Alternatively, the bundispenser can release present volumes of gas that are unique to eachindexed position of the piston 130 for each subsequent dispense cycle asbuns in the row of buns are sequentially released into the receiver 110.For example, the bun dispenser can: open the gas supply 140 for 1.0second to release thirty cubic inches of gas into the hopper 120,thereby displacing the piston 130 forward by a distance sufficient torelease a first bun I the row of buns into the receiver 110; then openthe gas supply 140 for 1.2 seconds to release thirty-six cubic inches ofgas into the hopper 120, thereby advancing the piton forward by adistance sufficient to release a second bun—previously behind the firstbun—into the receiver 110; and then open the gas supply 140 for 1.6seconds to release forty-eight cubic inches of gas into the hopper 120,thereby displacing the piston 130 by a distance sufficient to dispense athird bun—previously behind the second bun—into the receiver 110.

Alternatively, the bun dispenser can implement a hysteresis controller112 to selectively open and close the gas supply 140 during a dispensecycle based on a signal output by a sensor coupled to the receiver 110and corresponding to passage of a bun through the receiver 110. In oneexample, the bun dispenser includes an optical emitter outputting alight beam across the receiver 110 and offset ahead of the roller 112 bya distance corresponding to a tipping point at which buns that havepassed the roller 112 fall (typically) through outlet of the receiver110. (Similarly, the optical emitter can output a light beam offsetahead of the roller 112 by a distance corresponding to a tipping pointless a typical distance displaced by the piston 130 after the gas supply140 is closed.) In this example, the bun dispenser also includes anoptical detector pointing toward the optical emitter opposite theinternal section of the receiver 110. In this example, while gas isflowed through the gas supply 140 into the hopper 120, the bun dispensercan sample an output of the optical detector during a dispense cycle todetect when a bun has passed the tipping point, and the bun dispensercan close the gas supply 140 when the beam output from the opticalemitter to the optical detector is broken (i.e., by a bun), therebyceasing flow of gas into the closed volume behind the piston 130,ceasing motion of the piston 130 toward the discharge end of the hopper120, and ceasing release of additional buns into the receiver 110 forthe dispense cycle. In a similar example, the bun dispenser can includea mechanical contact sensor in line with a path of buns dispensed fromthe hopper 120 into the receiver 110 or in line with the path of bunsdispensed from the receiver 110 into the slicing mechanism. In thisexample, once the gas supply 140 is opened, the bun dispenser can samplean output of the sensor during a dispense cycle and can then close thegas supply 140 to cease delivery of gas to the hopper 120 in response toa change in the output state of the sensor (e.g., in response to contactby a bun).

Yet alternatively, the bun dispenser can implement closed-loop feedbackto selectively open and close open the gas supply 140 during a dispensecycle based on an output of one or more sensors coupled to the receiver110. For example, the bun dispenser can include a distance sensor 160coupled to the receiver 110 opposite a chute 210 within the slicingmechanism, aligned with the hopper 120, and facing the piston 130, asdescribed above, and the bun dispenser can sample the sensor canselectively open and close the valve 141 based on a output of thedistance sensor 160 (e.g., based on a distance between the distancesensor 160 and a bun—in the row of buns—nearest the receiver 110). Inthis example, during a dispense cycle, the bun dispenser canintermittently open the gas supply 140 (e.g., a valve 141) at a dutycycle proportional to a signal output by the distance sensor 160. Inparticular, the bun dispenser can open the gas supply 140 at an initialduty cycle at the beginning of a dispense cycle and reduce this dutycycle as a signal output by the sensor during the dispense cycleindicates that a first bun in the row of buns is nearing the sensor. Forexample, the gas supply 140 can supply gas to the closed volume behindthe piston 130 at a first aggregate volume flow rate based on a firstdistance value output from the distance sensor 160, and the gas supply140 can supply gas to the closed volume at a second aggregate volumeflow rate less than the first aggregate volume flow rate based on asecond distance value output from the distance sensor 160, the seconddistance value less than the first distance value. The gas supply 140can thus supply a greatest flow rate of gas to the closed volume behindthe piston 130 at the beginning of the dispense cycle and can supply gasat a flow rate that decreases as a bun nearest the receiver 110 (i.e., a“first bun”) approaches a tipping point in the receiver 110.

Furthermore, the distance sensor 160 can output a signal characterizedby a (near-) step change at an instant that a second bun—behind thefirst bun—comes into the field of view the sensor when the first bun isreleased from the receiver 110 into the adjacent slicing mechanism. Thebun dispenser can thus detect (or confirm) a dispense event in responseto receipt of such a step change in the output of the distance sensor160, and the bun dispenser can close the gas supply 140 in response tothis (near-) step change in distance values output by the distancesensor 160 during a dispense cycle.

The bun dispenser can also update (e.g., index) a bun counter for thehopper 120 after each dispense event, can trigger an auditory and/orvisual alarm or transmit a notification to a nearby operator to replacethe hopper 120 with a second, full hopper 120 when the counter expires(i.e., reaches “0”), and reset a second bun counter for the secondhopper once the second hopper is installed and operational within thebun dispenser.

In one variation, the bun dispenser also includes a camera (e.g., athree-dimensional camera, an a RGB camera) or other optical sensorarranged over or adjacent the hopper 120 and/or the receiver 110, andthe bun dispenser can sample images from the camera (e.g., at a samplingrate of 10 Hz) as gas is flowed into the hopper 120 during a dispensecycle. In this implementation, the bun dispenser can implement machinevision techniques to identify buns in digital images captured from thecamera and to detect dispense dispensation of an identified bun into thereceiver 110 or dispensation of an identified bun from the receiver 110into the slicing mechanism. The bun dispenser can also implement machinevision techniques to identify buns in the hopper 120 from imagescaptured by the camera and can update a bun counter for the hopper 120accordingly after each dispense cycle, as described above.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bun dispenser can include a processor 150configured to control various subsystems therein according to theforegoing methods.

1.8 Variations

One variation of the bun dispenser further includes: a second receiveradjacent and offset above the receiver 110; a second hopper configuredto contain a second row of whole bread buns, defining a second dischargeend configured to transiently engage the second receiver and to dispensewhole bread buns into the second receiver, and defining a secondpressurized end opposite the second discharge end; a second piston 130arranged within the second hopper between the second pressurized end ofthe second hopper and the second row of whole bread buns; and a secondpermeable seal 132 interposed between an interior wall of the secondhopper and an adjacent surface of the second piston 130, the secondpermeable seal 132 cooperating with the second hopper and the secondpiston 130 to define a second closed volume between the secondpressurized end of the second hopper and the second piston 130, thesecond permeable seal 132 configured to bleed gas from the second closedvolume toward the second discharge end of the second hopper. In thisvariation, the gas can supply selectively supply gas to the closedvolume and to the second closed volume to advance the hopper 120 towardthe discharge end of the hopper 120 and to advance the second hoppertoward the second discharge end of the second hopper, respectively.Alternatively, the bun dispenser can include multiple gas supplies,including one gas supply 140 per receiver. In this variation, the bundispenser can also include multiple additional receivers, hoppers, andpistons, such as four total receiver, hopper 120, and piston 130 setsaligned in a column along the slicing mechanism.

In this variation, the bun dispenser can empty each hopper 120 in theset of cycles in sequence, such as by dispensing buns from a firsthopper 120 until the first hopper 120 is empty, then dispensing bunsfrom a second hopper until the second hopper is empty, then dispensingbuns from a third hopper until the third hopper is empty, etc. Inparticular, the bun dispenser can sequence dispensation of buns fromeach hopper 120 in the set of hoppers such that one or more expiredhoppers (e.g., three of four hoppers loaded in the automated foodstuffassembly system) can be replaced with full hoppers while at least onehopper 120 (e.g., a fourth hopper) remains loaded with buns, therebyenabling the automated foodstuff assembly system to remain in continuousoperation while additional buns are loaded into the bun dispenser.

In one implementation, the bun dispenser includes multiple hoppers thatare loaded with a different type of bun and then installed incorresponding receivers with the bun dispenser. For example, at a giventime, a first hopper 120 installed in a first receiver in the bundispenser can be loaded with white buns, a second hopper installed in asecond receiver in the bun dispenser can be loaded with whole wheatbuns, and a third hopper installed in a third receiver in the bundispenser can be loaded with poppy seed buns. The bun dispenser can thenselectively release gas from one or more gas supplies into one of thefirst, second, or third hoppers to dispense a particular type of buninto the slicing mechanism, such as based on a custom food orderreceived from a patron, assigned to a next hamburger to be assembled,and specifying the particular type of bun thus dispensed. The bundispenser can therefore accept multiple hoppers loaded with differenttypes, sizes, etc. of whole buns and can selectively dispense whole bunsaccording to custom food orders submitted by patrons of the automatedfoodstuff assembly apparatus.

In this variation, multiple hoppers can be linked and/or connected insets. For example, a set of four hoppers can be connected in a stacksuch that the whole stack of four hoppers can be removed from theautomated foodstuff assembly system in unison once emptied, and a newstack of four hoppers similarly connected and filled with buns can besimultaneously installed in the automated foodstuff assembly apparatus.

2. Slicing Mechanism

As shown in FIG. 4, a second system 200 for slicing whole bread bunsincludes: a chute 210 defining a load end, defining a slice endvertically below the load end, and configured to receive whole breadbuns from the receiver 110 between the load end and the slice end; ablade 220 extending across the chute 210 proximal the slice end of thechute 210; and a cutting block 250 arranged in the chute 210 andconfigured to advance from a load position to a pierce position to aslice position during a dispense cycle, the cutting block 250 adjacentthe load end of the chute 210 in the load position to receive a wholebread bun from the receiver 110, arranged between the receiver 110 andthe blade 220 in the pierce position offset from the blade 220 by lessthan a length of the whole bread bun for a pierce duration to pierce thewhole bread bun with the blade 220, and extending past the blade 220 inthe slice position to sever a crown of the whole bread bun from a heelof the whole bread bun.

In one variation, the second system 200 includes: a chute 210 definingan elongated section and an outlet, the elongated section receiving abun dispensed from a bun dispenser; a blade 220 arranged across thechute 210 proximal the outlet and sealed about a wall of the chute 210;a reciprocating linkage 230 coupled to the blade 220 and housed withinan isolated chamber 232 adjacent the chute 210; an actuator 240 arrangedoutside of the isolated chamber 232 and coupled to the blade 220 via thereciprocating linkage 230; and a cutting block 250 arranged within thechute 210 and operable between a first position, a second position, anda third position. In this variation, the cutting block 250: is retractedlongitudinally in the chute 210 and at a first offset height above thechute 210 in the first position (shown in FIG. 5A) to restrain a bunwithin the chute 210; is elevated vertically to a second offsetheight—greater than the first height—over the chute 210 in the secondposition (shown in FIG. 5B) to release the bun toward the blade 220; anddrives a bun into the blade 220 between the second position and thethird position (shown in FIG. 5C).

2.1 Applications

Generally, the second system 200 (hereinafter “slicing mechanism”) canbe arranged within an automated foodstuff assembly apparatus to slicewhole buns received from one or more hoppers in a bun dispensermechanism described above. The slicing mechanism also advances thecutting block 250 between a load position in which a whole bun isdispensed from the bun dispenser into the chute 210, a pierce positionin which the cutting block 250 slight compresses the whole bun againstthe blade 220 as the blade 220 is actuated (e.g., reciprocated) in orderto pierce the skin of the whole bun, and a slice position in which thecutting block 250 has driven the whole bun fully through the blade 220to separate the crown of the bun from the heel of the bun. Inparticular, the slicing mechanism can advance the cutting block 250 intothe pierce position and hold the cutting block 250 in the pierceposition for an extended duration of time (e.g., eight seconds)typically sufficient for the blade 220 to pierce the skin of the wholebun. With the skin of the bun thus pierced by the blade 220, the wholebun can be slicing relatively easily, and the cutting block 250 candrive the bun through the blade 220 relatively rapidly withoutsubstantially compressing or otherwise deforming the bun. Once a bun issliced, the slicing mechanism can dispense the sliced bun into a butterstage 310 and/or into a toast stage 320 before condiments, toppings,and/or a meat (e.g., a hamburger patty), etc. are deposited onto thesliced, buttered, and toasted bun.

2.2 Chute

The chute 210 defines an elongated section and an outlet, the elongatedsection receiving a bun dispensed from a bun dispenser. Generally, thechute 210 functions to receive a series of buns from one or more hoppersof the bun dispenser arranged over the chute 210 and to funnel the bunsserially toward the cutting block 250 and on to the reciprocating blade.

In the implementation described above in which the bun dispenserincludes a set of hoppers that intermittently and serially dispense bunsinto corresponding receives, the receivers can be arranged over andalong the length of the chute 210 and can dispense buns directly intothe chute 210. For example, a set of receivers can be arranged along oneside of the chute 210 such that hoppers installed in the receiversextend from one side of the chute 210 and substantially perpendicular tothe chute 210. Alternatively, receivers can be arranged along the chute210 such that hoppers installed into corresponding receivers extendoutwardly from both sides of the chute 210.

The chute 210 can therefore be of a length suitable to accommodatemultiple receivers that dispense buns (e.g., via gravity) from varioushoppers into the chute 210. The chute 210 can also be of a width andheight sufficient to accommodate buns of a particular geometry or rangeor geometries. The chute 210 can also be angled downward toward thereciprocating blade such that whole buns dispensed into the chute 210are guided toward the blade 220 by gravity. The slicing mechanism canadditionally or alternatively include an air knife 260 arranged at oneend of the chute 210 opposite the blade 220 and configured to directblasts of air (or nitrogen, argon, humidified air, etc.) toward theblade 220, thereby impelling buns held in the chute 210 toward the blade220, as shown in FIG. 5B. Yet alternatively, a bottom surface of thechute 210 configured to support a dispensed buns can be perforated, anda second pump or a second valve connected to a gas reservoir within theautomated foodstuff assembly apparatus can release air through theperforations to form a cushion of air under the buns, thereby reducefriction and/or stiction between buns and the chute 210 and enabling thebuns to fall toward the blade 220 once dispensed from a correspondinghopper 120.

The chute 210 can further include a vane 214 immediately behind theblade 220 to maintain separation of the bun heel from the crown of thebun once the bun is sliced, as shown in FIG. 5C. The vane 214 can extendfrom behind the blade 220 toward a butter stage 310 and/or a toast stage320 arrange below the chute 210. In particular, the vane 214 canpartition the cross-section of the chute 210 vertically into twosections, including a lower section configured to pass bun heels to oneside of the butter stage 310 and an upper section configured to pass buncrowns to the opposite side of the butter stage 310. The chute 210 andthe vane 214 can further include a transition from an angled (orsubstantially horizontal) section to a substantially vertical sectionover the butter stage 310, as shown in FIG. 5A. In particular, once abun is sliced into a bun heel and a bun crown, the chute 210 and thevane 214 can dispense the bun heel an the bun crown into correspondingsides of the butter stage 310 below.

The chute 210 and the vane 214 can be of a food-safe material, such asstainless steel, nylon, or polycarbonate. However, the chute 210 can beof any other form, dimension, and/or material.

2.3 Blade

The blade 220 is arranged across the chute 210 proximal the outlet ofthe chute 210 and is sealed against adjacent walls of the chute 210.Generally, the blade 220 functions to slice buns as buns are fed intothe blade 220. In one implementation, the blade 220 is coupled to areciprocating linkage 230 that translates rotary motion of the actuator240 into linear oscillating (i.e., reciprocating) motion at the blade220. Alternatively, the blade 220 can include a continuous bladed bandsupported on two wheels—at least once of which is driven in continuousrotary motion by the actuator 240—with one linear span of the blade 220between the two wheels extending across the chute 210.

The blade 220 can include a serrated blade, a flat blade, a pair ofserrated or flat blades, or any other suitable type of blade and can beof any suitable material, such as stainless steel, ceramic, or any otherfood-safe material that can hold a sharpened edge.

The blade 220 is arranged across the chute 210 at a height above thebase surface of the chute 210 corresponding to a target thickness of bunheels to be dispensed from the slicing mechanism into the butter stage310. The blade 220 passes through a wall of the chute 210 on one or bothsides of the base surface and is sealed against the wall(s) of the chute210. For example, the chute 210 can define a pair of rectangular boresin its vertical walls near an outlet of the chute 210, the chute 210 caninclude seals arranged in the rectangular bores, and the blade 220 canpass through the seals to prevent crumbs and other debris from slicedbuns from exiting the chute 210 area and entering a reciprocatinglinkage 230 or other mechanism outside of the chute 210. For example,the chute 210 can include closed-cell silicone foam seals that seals asharpened portion of the blade 220 within the chute 210 to preventegress of food debris out of the chute 210 as buns are sliced by theslicing mechanism.

The actuator 240 is coupled to the blade 220 via the reciprocatinglinkage 230 and cooperated with the reciprocating linkage 230 toreciprocate the blade 220 across the chute 210 in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the motion of buns into the blade 220. Inone variation, the actuator 240 includes a rotary motor, such as anelectric motor or a compressed-air-powered motor, that outputs torquethrough an output shaft. In this variation, the reciprocating linkage230 is arranged between the motor output shaft and the blade 220 andtransforms rotary motion from the motor into reciprocating linear motionof a suitable maximum displacement (e.g., 3 mm) and at a suitable rate(e.g., 4000 cycles per minute). In this variation, all or a portion ofthe reciprocating linkage 230 can be contained within the isolatedchamber 232 that functions as a secondary containment area for foodwaste that may shifted past the seal(s) around the blade 220 duringoperation. The isolated chamber 232 can thus contain any such food wasteand substantially prevent this debris from moving back through the sealsand into the chute 210. The actuator 240 can be arrange outside of theisolated chamber 232, and a portion of the reciprocating linkage 230 canpass from the motor through a wall of the isolated chamber 232, such asthrough a sealed linear bearing, to the blade 220.

However, the actuator 240 and the reciprocating linkage 230 can becoupled to the blade 220 in any other suitable way to reciprocate theblade 220 back laterally.

Alternatively, the blade 220 can include a circular blade—such as acircular blade with a smooth or serrated edge—arranged across the chute210 near an outlet of the chute 210, and the actuator 240 can rotate theblade 220 to slice buns during operation. However, the blade 220 can beof any other form or geometry, and the actuator 240 can actuate theblade 220 in any other suitable way.

2.4 Cutting Block

In one variation, the cutting block 250 is arranged within the chute 210and is operable between a first position, a second position, and a thirdposition. In this variation, the cutting block 250: is retractedlongitudinally in the chute 210 and at a first offset height above thechute 210 in the first position (shown in FIG. 5A) to restrain a bunwithin the chute 210 above the blade 220; is elevated vertically to asecond offset above the first offset height over the chute 210 in thesecond position (shown in FIG. 5B) to release the bun toward the blade220; and drives the bun into the blade 220 between the second positionand the third position (shown in FIG. 5C) to sever the blade 220 intoheel and crown halves. Generally, in the first position, the cuttingblock 250 functions as a stop for buns dispensed from one or morehoppers arranged along the chute 210, and, in the second position, thecutting block 250 functions to release a bun from a “stopped” positioninto an initial slicing position between the cutting block 250 and theblade 220. Furthermore, as the cutting block 250 transitions from thesecond position into the third position, the cutting block 250 guidesand secures the bun through the blade 220.

The cutting block 250 is arranged within the chute 210 between the blade220 and a nearest receiver of the bun dispensing mechanism and runsalong a curvilinear path parallel to a length of the chute 210. Forexample, the cutting block 250 and run along a “J” path, wherein theapex of the “J” defined the first position, the end of the short sectionof the “J” defines the second position, and the end of the long sectionof the “J” defines the third position, the long section of the “J”running along and substantially parallel to the chute 210 toward theblade 220, and the short section of the J” extending upward from thechute 210 (e.g., toward one or more hoppers above). In this example,with the cutting block 250 in the first position, a bun dispensed intothe chute 210 runs into and is impeded by the cutting block 250 ratherthan running straight into the blade 220. Thus, all buns dispensed intothe chute 210, regardless of when along the chute 210 and by whatreceiver arranged there over, are stopped by the cutting block 250 andenter the blade 220 at substantially identical speeds once released bythe cutting block 250 retracted to the second position. Furthermore, inthis example, as the cutting block 250 is raised above the chute 210 inthe second position, a bun is released toward blade, and the cuttingblock 250 then engages the bun and forces the bun into the blade 220 asthe cutting block 250 transitions toward the third position (at the topof the “J”).

The cutting block 250 defines a trailing face and a leading face, thetrailing face facing receivers of the bun dispenser arranged along thechute 210, and the leading face facing the blade 220 and opposite thetrailing face. The trailing face can be flat, can be substantiallyperpendicular to the base surface of the chute 210, and can besubstantially rigid, such as of stainless steel or nylon. Alternatively,the trailing face can be concave or angled into the base surface of thechute 210 to inhibit vertical motion of a bun away from base surfaceupon impact within the cutting block 250. The trailing face of thecutting block 250 can also include a material that absorbs impact bybuns on the cutting block 250. For example, a bumper of silicone foamcan be arranged across the trailing face of the cutting block 250. Theleading face of the cutting block 250 defines a V-shaped mouth thatconstrains a bun between non-parallel surfaces as the cutting block 250advances forward to feed the bun into the blade 220. The (substantially)vertical surfaces of the V-shaped mouth of the cutting block 250 can besmooth, rough, serrated, or of any other suitable profile or surfacefinish suitable to substantially prevent rotation of a bun as the bunpasses fully through the blade 220. The mouth of the cutting block 250can also define a concave recess extending toward the trailing face ofthe cutting block 250, the blade 220 passing into the concave recesswithin contacting the cutting block 250 as the cutting block 250 isdriven into the third position.

The cutting block 250 can be suspended in the chute 210 from one or morebeams passing through one or more walls of the chute 210 and coupled toan actuator that drives the cutting block 250 between the first, second,and third positions. In one implementation, a vertical wall of the chute210 defines (or is physically coextensive with a plate that defines) apair of offset J-tracks 214, and one beam extends through each of theJ-tracks 214 to support the cutting block 250. One or both beams arecoupled to a chain suspended between a driven sprocket and an idlersprocket, and the actuator powers the driven sprocket to shift theposition of the chain, thereby moving the cutting block 250 along thetrack. For example, the actuator can rotate the driven sprocket in afirst direction to move the cutting block 250 from the third position tothe first position and then into the second position, and then rotatethe actuator in the opposite direction to move the cutting block 250from the second position (through the first position) into the thirdposition.

In the foregoing implementation, the beams supporting the cutting block250 can be sealed about the J-tracks 214. For example, a silicone foampanel 334 can be arranged across the vertical wall of the chute 210opposite the cutting block 250, and the silicone foam panel 334 candefine slits aligned with the J-tracks 214. The beams supported thecutting block 250 through the vertical wall of the chute 210 can passthrough corresponding slits in the silicone foam panel 334, which canseal the beams to the vertical wall of the chute 210, as shown in FIG.6. In particular, the silicone foam panel 334 can prevent egress of bunscrumbs (and other such food waste) from the chute 210 and similarlyprevent ingress of food waste or other particulate (such a gear or motorgrease) into the chute 210. In this example, each beam can define ateardrop or similar profile (shown in FIG. 6) over at least a portion ofthe beam the passed through the silicone foam seal to improve sealingcapacity of the silicone foam panel 334 into the beams. Static orspring-loaded thrust seals can additionally or alternatively be arrangedabout the beams and engage the vertical wall of the chute 210 adjacentthe cutting block 250 and/or the silicone foam panel 334 opposite thechute 210 to further seal the beams to the chute 210, as shown in FIG.6. However, the cutting block 250 can be supported in any other waywithin the chute 210, can be driven between the first, second, and thirdpositions within the chute 210 in any other way, and can be sealedwithin the chute 210 with any other suitable type or configuration ofseal.

In another variation, the cutting block 250 is advanced and retractedlinearly along the chute 210 between a load position, a pierce position,and a slice position. In this variation, in the load position thecutting block 250 can be retracted above the first (e.g., highest)receiver in the bun dispenser to enable each receiver in the bundispenser to dispense whole buns into the chute 210 between the cuttingblock 250 and the blade 220. In this variation, the cutting block 250can be sealed against wall of the chute 210 and can define a V-blockgeometry as described above. The cutting block 250 can also be connectedto and repositioned within the chute 210 by a linear actuator, such asconnected to a timing belt and rotary actuator, as described above.However, the cutting block 250 can be sealed against the chute 210 inany other way, can be of any other geometry, and can be actuated by anyother suitable type of mechanism or actuator.

2.5 Slicing Operation

As shown in FIG. 7, the slicing mechanism can execute a method S100 fordispensing and slicing whole bread buns including: retracting a cuttingblock 250 along a chute 210 into a load position in Block S110;dispensing a whole bread bun into the chute 210 between the cuttingblock 250 and a blade 220 extending across the chute 210 in Block S120;advancing the cutting block 250 along the chute 210 toward the blade 220in Block S130; detecting contact between the cutting block 250 and theblade 220 at a contact position in Block S140; at a first time,advancing the cutting block 250 into a pierce position offset from thecontact position toward the blade 220 by a pierce distance less than acommon width of the type of whole bread buns in Block S150; and, at asecond time succeeding the first time by a pierce duration, advancingthe cutting block 250 from the pierce position into a slice positionadjacent the blade 220 to drive the whole bread bun fully through theblade 220 in Block S160.

Generally, the slicing mechanism can execute the method to retract thecutting block 250 into the load position, to dispense a whole bread buninto the chute 210, to advance the cutting block 250 into the wholebread bun to slightly compress the whole bread bun against the blade 220for a pierce duration (e.g., for several seconds), and to advance thecutting block 250 into the slice position to drive the whole bread bunfully through the blade 220 once the blade 220 pierces the skin of bunduring the pierce duration.

Because whole buns may vary in diameter, the slicing mechanism canadvance the cutting block 250 to a pierce position substantially uniqueto each whole bun. The slicing mechanism can therefore advance thecutting block 250 toward the blade 220 until the cutting block 250contacts a bun and then further advance the cutting block 250 toward theblade 220 by the pierce distance to compress the bun toward the knife.For example, as an actuator drives the cutting block 250 from the loadposition toward the blade 220, the slicing mechanism can monitor acurrent draw of the actuator, correlate a detected change in thiscurrent draw with contact between the cutting block 250 and the wholebread bun, and storing a position of the cutting block 250 (and/or theactuator) at a time of the detected change in electrical current as acontact position for the bun. Alternatively, the cutting block 250 caninclude an optical, acoustic, mechanical, or other type of switch orsensor arranged on or adjacent a face of the cutting block 250configured to contact a bun, and the slicing mechanism can sample theswitch while the cutting block 250 is driven from the load positiontoward the blade 220 and can identify contact between the cutting block250 and a bun based on a change in the output of the switch. Forexample, the cutting block 250 can define a V-shaped mouth and caninclude a mechanical momentary switch arranged on each concave side ofthe V-shaped mouth. In this example, because a bun may contact onemechanical momentary switch on one side of the V-shaped mouth and thentranslate laterally before contacting the second mechanical momentaryswitch on the opposite side of the V-shaped mouth, the slicing mechanismcan determine that the cutting block 250 has made full contact with thebun when both mechanical momentary switches are closed. Thus, in thisexample, the slicing mechanism can store a position of the cutting block250 (and/or the actuator) at a time at which both mechanical momentaryswitches are closed as a contact position for the bun. However, theslicing mechanism can detect contact between the cutting block 250 and abun in any other way.

Subsequently, the slicing mechanism can advance the cutting block 250from the contact position toward the blade 220 by a preset piercedistance substantially less than a common width of whole bread buns inthe row of whole bread buns. For example, the slicing mechanism canadvance the cutting block 250 by a pierce distance between 0.5millimeter and 2.0 millimeters from the contact position—along the longaxis of the chute 210—for a type of bread bun ranging from 2.5 inches indiameter to 5 inches in diameter. For example, the slicing mechanism canadvance the cutting block 250 from the contact position into the pierceposition by a pierce distance slightly greater than the skin thicknesstypical of the type of bun dispensed into the slicing mechanism. Theslicing mechanism can then constrain the cutting block 250 in the pierceposition for a pierce duration, such as for a period of time betweenfive seconds and ten seconds, before advancing the cutting block 250from the pierce position into the slice position. Thus, during thepierce duration, the slicing mechanism ca compress the bun—between thecutting block 250 and blade—to a diameter 0.5 to 2.0 millimeters lessthan the nominal diameter of the bun. While the cutting block 250 is inthe pierce position during the pierce duration, the slicing mechanismalso actuates (e.g., reciprocates) the blade 220, which may pierce theskin of the bun by (approximately) the pierce distance as the bunexpands toward the blade 220 at it attempts to return to its nominaldiameter. Upon expiration of the pierce duration, the slicing mechanismcan advance the cutting block 250 from the pierce position to the sliceposition to drive the bun fully through the blade 220. For example, theslicing mechanism can advance the cutting block 250 from the pierceposition to the slice position as a rate of 0.2 meters per second.Therefore, the slicing mechanism can slightly compress a bun into theblade 220, wait for the blade 220 to pierce the bun, and then drive thebun through the blade 220 rather than forcing the bun through the blade220 in one motion, which may plastically deform the bun.

In the foregoing implementation, the slicing mechanism can alsoimplement a dynamic pierce time. For example, the slicing mechanism candetermine that the blade 220 has pierced a bun in response to a changein current draw of the actuator driving the blade 220. In anotherexample, the slicing mechanism includes a camera or other optical sensordirected toward the leading edge of the blade 220, and the slicingmechanism implements machine vision techniques to determine that theblade 220 has pierced the bun from digital images output by the camera.

In another implementation, the slicing mechanism can measure a diameterof each bun dispensed into the chute 210 and can advance the cuttingblock 250 to a pierce position offset from the blade 220 by the measureddiameter of a bun in the chute 210 less the pierce distance. Forexample, the slicing mechanism can include a distance sensor—asdescribed above—coupled to the chute 210, aligned with the axis of thechute 210, and facing the blade 220, wherein the distance sensor definesa field of view and outputs a signal corresponding to a distance fromthe distance sensor to a (nearest) surface within the field of view. Inthis example, the cutting block 250 can include a window aligned withthe field of view of the distance sensor, and the distance sensor canthus sense a surface of a bun between the blade 220 and the cuttingblock 250 through the window in the cutting block 250. The slicingmechanism can thus measure the diameter of a bun dispensed into thechute 210 by subtracting a distance value output by the distance sensorfrom a known distance between the distance sensor and the blade 220 oncea dispense event is detected during a dispense cycle. In this example,for a type of bun exhibiting significant variations in diameter (orwidth and/or length), a point on a bun located in the chute 210 nearestthe distance sensor may not coincide with the field of view of thedistance sensor because the bun may not land and remain aligned with thecenter of the chute 210. The slicing mechanism can these also include asecond distance sensor facing the blade 220 along a second axisnonparallel to the long axis of the chute 210. The slicing mechanism canthus merge distance values output by the (first) distance sensor and thesecond distance sensor to calculate the diameter of a bun dispensed intothe chute 210.

Alternatively, in the foregoing implementation, the slicing mechanismcan include a mechanical wiper adjacent the blade 220 and configured todisplace the bun laterally across the chute 210 until the bun abuts areference surface; the slicing mechanism can sample a position sensorcoupled to the wiper (e.g., an optical encoder, a potentiometer) todetermine this final (angular or linear) position of the wiper and canthen correlate this position with a width of the bun. The slicingmechanism can then implement the method described above to advance thecutting block 250 into the pierce position and, as some time later,drive the cutting block 250 to the slice position to separate the heelof the bun from the crown of the bun.

2.6 Error Handling

In one variation, the slicing mechanism: detects dispensation of asecond whole bread bun followed by dispensation of a third whole breadbun into the chute 210; opening a discard chute 210 adjacent the blade220 opposite the cutting block 250; at a fourth time succeeding thethird time, advancing the cutting block 250 along the chute 210 into asecond pierce position to compress the second whole bread bun betweenthe third whole bread bun and the blade 220; and at a fifth timesucceeding the fourth time by the pierce duration, advancing the cuttingblock 250 into the slice position to drive the second whole bread bunfully through the blade 220 and into the discard chute 210.

Generally, the slicing mechanism can execute such an error handlingmethod to discard one or both buns dispensed into the chute 210 when twobuns are released into the chute 210 in a single dispense cycle. In oneexample, the slicing mechanism samples optical sensors, capacitivesensors, and/or proximity sensor arranged along the chute 210 todetermine a total length of a line contact along the chute 210 anddetermines that two buns have been dispensed into the chute 210 if thetotal length of the line contact exceeds a threshold maximum diameter ofsingle bun of a type loaded into the bun dispenser. In another example,the slicing mechanism samples optical break sensor arranged along thechute 210 and counts a number of optical breaks at a single opticalbreak sensor during a single dispense cycle; if the number of opticalbreaks at the single optical break sensor exceeds one (or if the numberof state changes of the optical break sensor exceeds two) in a singledispense cycle, the slicing mechanism can determine that two buns havebeen dispensed into the chute 210. The slicing mechanism can thenexecute this error handling method to discard one or more buns in thechute 210. However, the slicing mechanism can detect a double-dispenseevent in any other suitable way.

In one implementation, the slicing mechanism includes a first trapconfigured to transiently engage the chute 210 behind the vane 214 andto guide a bun crown from the vane 214 into a discard container; in thisimplementation, the slicing mechanism includes a second trap configuredto transiently engage the chute 210 behind the vane 214 and to guide abun heel from the vane 214 into the discard container. Thus, when adouble-dispense event is detected, the slicing mechanism can advance thefirst and second traps forward into discard positions adjacent the vane214, and the slicing mechanism can then drive the cutting block 250 fromthe load to the slice position in a single motion to slice and discardboth buns. Alternatively, the slicing mechanism can implement methodsand techniques described above to advance the cutting block 250 to apierce position for a first bun immediately adjacent the blade 220,thereby compressing the first bun between the blade 220 and a second buninterposed between the first bun and the cutting block 250, and thendrive the cutting block 250 to the slice position in a single subsequentmotion to slice and discard both buns.

Thus, by first piercing the first bun by slowly compressing the firstbun against the blade 220, the blade 220 can constrain the first bun toprevent the first bun from otherwise skipping across the blade 220 andlifting out of the chute 210 when the cutting block 250 is driven fullyto the slice position. In this implementation (and the foregoingimplementations), the cutting block 250 can also include a substantiallyrigid or spring-loaded tab extending toward the blade 220 and offsetabove the bottom surface of the chute 210 by at least a typical heightof a type of bun loaded into the hopper 120 (e.g., offset above thebottom surface of the chute 210 by a distance substantially equivalentto a maximum allowable height of the type of bun loaded into the hopper120). For example, the tab extending from the cutting block 250 can besubstantially similar to the tab extending from the piston 130, asdescribed above. The tab extending from the cutting block 250 can thusprevent the second bun—behind the first bun—from pitching sufficientlyto lift out of the chute 210 as the cutting block 250 is advanced intothe slice position during a discard cycle. Furthermore, in thisimplementation, because the second bun may have pitched slightly withinthe chute 210 as the first bun is sliced, the second bun may not belying flush with the bottom surface of the chute 210 when caught by theblade 220. Therefore, because the second bun may meet the blade 220off-angle, thereby yielding a wedge-shaped bun heel, the slicingmechanism can also discard the second bun following a double-discardevent.

However, the slicing mechanism can implement any other method ortechnique to discard one or both buns following a double-discard event.

3. Buttering and Toasting System

As shown in FIG. 8, a third system 300 for buttering and toasting breadbuns includes a butter stage 310 and a toast stage 320. The butter stage310 includes: a vessel 312 containing liquefied dairy fat and defining apermeable surface 314; a pressure supply 316 fluidly coupled to thevessel 312; a first paddle assembly 311 configured to catch a bun crowndispensed into the butter stage 310, to compress a sliced face of thebun crown directly against the permeable surface 314, and to release thebun crown from the butter stage 310. The toast stage 320 includes: atoasting surface 327 arranged vertically below the permeable surface314; a heating element 328 arranged behind the toasting surface 327; asecond paddle assembly 322 arranged vertically below the first paddleassembly 311 and configured to catch the bun crown released from thefirst paddle assembly 311, to compress the sliced face of the bun crowndirectly against the toasting surface 327, and to release the bun crownfrom the toasting surface 327; and a third paddle assembly 323 arrangedvertically below the second paddle assembly 322 and configured to catchthe bun crown released from the second paddle assembly 322, to compressthe sliced face of the bun crown directly against the toasting surface327, and to release the bun crown from the toasting surface 327.

One variation of the third system 300 includes: a dispenser configuredto dispense a bun crown and a bun heel sliced from a whole bread bun; aheating device arranged below the dispenser and including a firsttoasting surface 327, a second toasting surface 327B opposite andparallel to the first toasting surface 327, and a heating element 328interposed between the first toasting surface 327 and the secondtoasting surface 327B; a first set of compression paddles arranged in afirst row adjacent the first toasting surface 327, each compressionpaddle in the first set of compression paddles operable between acompress position and a release position, configured to sequentiallycompress the bun crown directly onto the first toasting surface 327 inthe compress position, and configured to release the bun crown in therelease position; a first set of gate paddles, each gate paddle in thefirst set of gate paddles arranged below a corresponding compressionpaddle in the first set of compression paddles, operable between aretain position and a dispense position, configured to sequentiallysupport the bun crown vertically in the retain position, and configuredto release the bun crown downward in the dispense position; a second setof compression paddles arranged in a second row adjacent the secondtoasting surface 327B, each compression paddle in the second set ofcompression paddles operable between a compress position and a releaseposition, configured to sequentially compress the bun heel directly ontothe second toasting surface 327B in the compress position, andconfigured to sequentially release the bun heel in the release position;a second set of gate paddles, each gate paddle in the second set of gatepaddles arranged below a corresponding compression paddle in the secondset of compression paddles, operable between a retain position and adispense position, configured to sequentially support the bun heel inapproximate vertical and horizontal alignment with the bun crown in theretain position, and configured to sequentially release the bun heeldownward in the dispense position; and an actuator system 330 configuredto selectively transition compression paddles in the first set ofcompression paddles and in the second set of compression betweencompress positions and release positions and configured to selectivelytransition gate paddles in the first set of gate paddles and in thesecond set of gate paddles between retain positions and dispensepositions according to a paddle sequence to sequentially advance the buncrown and the bun heel, in a row of bun crown and bun heel pairs, downthe first toasting surface 327 and down the second toasting surface327B.

3.1 Applications

Generally, the third system 300 for buttering and toasting bread buns(herein after the “buttering and toasting system”) functions to receivea series of bun heel and bun crown pairs, such as from the bun slicingmechanism, to butter the inner faces of the bun heel and bun crownpairs, and to toast the inner faces of the bun heel and bun crown pairsbefore dispensing the bun heels and bun crowns into or ontocontainers—such as boxes, plates, or sandwich assembly platens—supporteda conveyance platform below. The buttering and toasting system can thusform a subsystem of an automated foodstuff assembly system including oneor more other subsystems that cooperate to automatically prepare,assemble, and deliver foodstuffs for and/or to consumers. For example,the automated foodstuff assembly system can include a patty grindingsubsystem that grinds and presses custom hamburger patties from raw meat(e.g., based on custom patty orders), a patty grilling subsystem thatgrills patties (e.g., rare, medium, or well-done based on custom pattyorders), a bun dispenser subsystem that stores whole buns, a slicingmechanism subsystem that slices buns received from the bun dispensersubsystem, a bun buttering subsystem that applies butter to each side ofsliced buns prior to toasting each halve of the bun, a bun toastingsubsystem that toasts bun halves, a topping module that loads toppingsonto bun heels (e.g., based on custom topping orders), and a boxingsubsystem 350 that closes completed hamburgers into paper boxes fordelivery to patrons. The buttering and toasting system can similarlybutter can toast bread products for assembly into sandwiches, hotdogs,burritos, tacos, wraps, or other foodstuffs, such as according to customfood orders entered by patrons of an automated restaurant. The butteringand toasting system can therefore be incorporated into an automatedfoodstuff assembly system to butter and toast one or more halves offreshly-cut buns before dispensing the buttered and toasted buns into oronto a contained for subsequent assembly into a sandwich for a customer.

The buttering and toasting system can feed bun heels substantiallyvertically downward over a substantially translucent or transparentheated surface (i.e., the toasting surface 327) such that both sides ofthe bun heel are visible to patrons near the automated foodstuffassembly system, thereby enabling patrons to view bun heels changingcolor (e.g., from off-white to light brown) as the bun heels advancethrough subsequent toasting stages of the buttering and toasting system.The buttering and toasting system can similarly feed bun crowns over anadjacent translucent or transparent surface to enable patrons to viewboth sides of a bun crown as it is toasted.

The buttering and toasting system is described herein as a system forbuttering and toasting bun heels. However, the system can also butterand toast bun crowns, such as simultaneously with matched bun heels. Anautomated foodstuff assembly apparatus can include the buttering andtoasting system to butter and toast bun heels on one side of the butterand toast stages and to butter and toast bun crowns on an opposite sideof the butter and toast stages. For example, bun heels can be fedvertically downward along one side of a butter stage 310 and bun crownscan be fed vertically downward along an opposite side of a butter stage310, a single heating element 328 can be arranged between the aheel-side toasting surface 327 and a crown-side toasting surface327—parallel and offset from the heel-side toasting surface 327—suchthat bun crowns and bun heels are heated with the same heating element328, and a single actuator can drive both a set of gate and compressionpaddles adjacent the heel toasting surface 327 and a set of gate andcompression paddles adjacent the crown toasting surface 327 such thatbun heel and bun crown pairs are advanced in unison through theheel-side and crown-side butter and toast stages. In this example, thebuttering and toasting system can advance a bun heel and bun crown invertical alignment (and in horizontal alignment or offset horizontally)along the buttering surfaces (i.e., the permeable surfaces) and thetoasting surfaces such that the bun heel and bun crown pair remainpaired and matched throughout processing.

3.2 Butter Stage

The butter stage 310 includes a substantially vertical surface thatdispenses butter onto a bun heel. Generally, the butter stage 310functions to receive a bun heel from a slicing mechanism and to portionbutter onto the interior face of the bun heel before the bun heel istoasted. The slicing mechanism can deliver the bun heel verticallydownward into the butter stage 310, and the butter stage 310 candispense butter through the vertical surface onto the interior surfaceof the bun heel. The bun heel can therefore continue to pass verticallydownward along the vertical surface of the butter stage 310 and thenenter the toasting surface 327 in a substantially vertical orientation.

In one implementation, the first paddle assembly 311 includes a firstcompression paddle and a first gate paddle adjacent the butter stage310. As a bun heel is dispensed from the slicing mechanism, the firstcompression paddle can be in a release position and the first gatepaddle can be in the retain position such that a portion of the bun heelpasses the first compression paddle and is stopped by the first gatepaddle. The actuator—coupled to the first compression and gate paddles,such as via a camshaft 332—can then transition the first compressionpaddle into the compress position to compress the bun heel into thevertical surface of the butter stage 310. Once sufficient butter isapplied to the bun heel, then the first gate paddle can open into adispense position and the first compression paddle can then open intothe release position to dispense the bun heel downward into the toaststage 320. For example, a second compression paddle adjacent thetoasting surface 327 can be set in the release position and a secondgate paddle—adjacent the toasting surface 327, below the secondcompression paddle, and cooperating with the second compression paddleto define defining a second stage—can be set in the retain position toreceive and retain the buttered bun heel thus received from the butterstage 310 above.

The butter stage 310 can dispense salted butter, unsalted butter,clarified butter, olive oil, margarine, canola oil, or other liquefieddairy fat or other suitable foodstuff onto buns heels dispensed into thebutter stage 310. In one implementation, the butter stage 310 includes:a vessel 312 containing liquefied dairy fat (e.g., butter or any othersuitable foodstuff) and defining a permeable surface 314; and a pressuresupply 316 (e.g., a pump) fluidly coupled to the vessel 312. In thisimplementation, the vessel 312 can store liquefied dairy fat and candispense liquefied dairy fat through perforations, pores, or otherthrough-bores across the permeable surface 314 when the pressure supply316 pressurized the vessel 312, such as by pumping gas (e.g., air) oradditional liquefied dairy fat into the vessel 312. In particular, inthis implementation, when the first compression paddle compresses theinner face (i.e., the sliced face) of a bun heel against the permeablesurface 314 in the butter stage 310, the pressure supply 316 can pumpliquefied dairy fat into the vessel 312, which then releases liquefieddairy fat through these perforations, thereby butting the heel. In oneexample, the vessel 312 can define a set of bores patterned across apermeable region—on the permeable surface 314—of diameter approximatinga maximum, minimum, or average diameter of a type of the bun heeldispensed into the buttering and toasting system. In another example,the vessel 312 can include an open-celled substrate (e.g., a siliconefoam, a polymer foam, a porous ceramic) defining the permeable surface314. The pressure supply 316 can thus pressurize the vessel 312 as thefirst compression paddle compresses the bun heel against the permeablesurface 314 of the butter stage 310, and the permeable surface 314 ofvessel 312 can thus pass (e.g., excrete, leak, exude, ooze) liquefieddairy fat onto the interior surface of a bun heel.

In the foregoing implementation, the vessel 312, a supply line couplingthe vessel 312 to the pressure supply 316, a remote reservoir coupled to(e.g., interposed between) the pressure supply 316 and the vessel 312,and/or the permeable surface 314 of the butter stage 310 can be heatedto maintain sufficient temperature within the butter stage 310 tomaintain dairy fat (or other foodstuff contained therein) in liquefiedform. For example, the butter stage 310 can include one or moreinductive heating elements arranged behind the permeable surface 314,within or under the vessel 312, around the remote reservoir, etc.Alternatively, the vessel 312 and its contents can be heated by aheating element 328 in the adjacent the toast stage 320.

In the foregoing implementation, the pressure supply 316 intermittentlypressurizes the vessel 312 in response to compression of the bun crownagainst the permeable surface 314 by the first paddle assembly 311. Inone variation of the buttering and toasting system, the butter stage 310further includes a fourth paddle assembly 324—opposite the first paddleassembly 311—configured: to catch a bun crown dispensed from the slicingmechanism with a corresponding bun heel; to compress a sliced face ofthe bun crown directly against a second permeable surface 314 of thevessel 312 opposite the (first) permeable surface 314; and to releasethe bun crown from the butter stage 310 substantially simultaneouslywith the bun heel. In this variation, the buttering and toasting systemcan include a single pressure supply 316 that pressurizes the vessel 312to force liquefied dairy fat out of both the (first) permeable surface314 and the second permeable surface 314 to butter the bun heel and thebun crown substantially simultaneously. In this variation, like the(first) permeable surface 314, the second permeable surface 314 of thebutter stage 310 can define a group of perforations across a secondpermeable region approximating the geometry of a type of bun dispensedinto the buttering and toasting system, such as a 4-inch-diameter regionfor brioche buns ranging from 2.5 inches to 5 inches in diameter andaveraging ˜3.9″ in diameter. In this variation, the second permeableregion on the second permeable surface 314 can be vertically alignedwith the (first) permeable region of the (first) permeable surface 314but can be offset horizontally from the (first) permeable region, suchas by half of or by a full width of an average bun; the compression andgate paddles on each side of the butter and toast stage can maintainthis horizontal offset as bun heels and crowns are advanced downwardsuch that both sides of the bun heel and both sides of the bun crown maybe visible through the toast stage 320.

In another implementation, the butter stage 310 includes a verticalsurface defining a set of open sections, such as perforations in agrated area or a set of adjacent vertical vanes, and the butter stage310 includes a spray nozzle arranged behind the series of open sectionsand a pump that drives liquefied dairy fat from a heated reservoir,through the nozzle, and onto the bun heel compressed against the opensection of the vertical surface by the first compression paddle.

In another implementation, the butter stage 310 includes a verticalsurface defining one or more orifices, and the butter stage 310 includesa roller 112 that collects liquefied dairy fat from a heated reservoir(e.g., by advancing into the reservoir prior to a butter applicationcycle) and then rolls across the orifice(s) to dispense butter onto theinterior surface of a bun heel held against the vertical surface by thefirst compression paddle.

However, the butter stage 310 can include any other suitable mechanismarranged in any other suitable way to dispense butter onto a surface ofa bun heel.

As shown in FIG. 9, the butter stage 310 can also include a drip pan 340interposed between the permeable surface 314 and the toasting surface327, wherein the drip pan 340 defines a recess offset behind thepermeable surface 314. In this implementation, the drip pan 340 cancatch excess dairy fat released from the butter stage 310 and can catchcrumbs and other debris released from the bun heel and/or from theslicing mechanism. In one example, the drip pan 340 includes: a firstlip extending downward from the bottom of the permeable surface 314 andangled backward behind the permeable surface 314 (e.g., at a shallowangle of 15° from the perm bale surface); and a second lip in plane withthe permeable surface 314 and offset vertically below the first lip; anda heated waste reservoir arranged behind the second lip and configuredto catch excess dairy fat and debris. However, the drip pan 340 can beof any other suitable geometry and can function in any other way tocollect excess dairy fat and debris from the butter stage 310.

3.3 Toast Stage

The toasting stage includes a toasting surface 327 arranged verticallybelow the permeable surface 314 and a heating element 328 arrangedbehind the toasting surface 327. Generally, the toasting surface 327functions to conduct heat into bun heels held against the toastingsurface 327, such as by compression paddles, to toast the surfaces ofthe bun heels in contact with the toasting surface 327. The toastingsurface 327 can therefore define an elongated section containing and/oradjacent one or more heating elements, and the actuator 331 can cyclethe compression and gate paddles along the butter and toast stagesaccording to a particular sequence to sequentially and intermittentlyrelease bun heels from the butter stage 310 vertically downward throughsub-stages along the toasting surface 327. In one implementation, thepermeable surface 314 and the toasting surface 327 are substantiallyplanar, the permeable surface 314 is arranged over and in alignment withthe toasting surface 327, and the paddle assemblies can thusintermittently drop bun heels downward through sub-stages on thetoasting surface 327.

In one implementation, the toasting surface 327 can include a firsttransparent glass plate (e.g., alkali-aluminosilicate glass), a secondtransparent glass plate, and a wire-based heating element 328 (e.g.,cupronickel nanowire, carbon crystal nanowire) interposed between thefirst and second glass plates. The buttering and toasting system canalso include a power supply that passes current through the heatingelement 328 to heat the first and/or second glass plate. In thisimplementation, the first glass plate can be relatively thin, such as0.5 mm to 2.0 mm in thickness, and can define the toasting surface 327configured to directly contact and to toast the interior surfaces of bunheels, and the second glass plate can be relatively thick, such as 4 mmin thickness, such that heat is predominately conducted from the heatingelement 328 through the first plate (rather than through the secondplate). However, the toast stage 320 can include any other number ofresistance heating elements, inductance heating elements, and/or othersuitable type of heating element 328.

In one variation, the buttering and toasting system is furtherconfigured to butter and toast bun crowns. In this variation, theexterior surface of the first plate can define a first toasting surface327 configured to toast bun heels, and an exterior surface of the secondplate can define a second toasting surface 327B configured to toast buncrowns; a single heating element 328 (or single set of heating elements)interposed between the first and second plates can thus heat both thefirst and second toasting surfaces. In this variation, paddle assemblieson each side of the first and second plates can cooperate to sequence abun heel and a bun crown pair (i.e., a bun heel and a bun crown cut fromthe same bun) downward in unison along the first heating surface and thesecond heating surface, respectively, such that the bun heel and the buncrown are toasted and dispensed from the buttering and toasting system(such as into a box or other container) together. Furthermore, in thisvariation, a first set of paddle assemblies adjacent the first plate canrestrain bun heel along a first vertical path along the first plate, anda second set of paddle assemblies adjacent the second plate can restrainbun crowns along a second vertical path—offset laterally from the firstvertical path—along the second plate such that both sides of the bunheel and the bun crown are visible through the transparent ortranslucent toasting surfaces.

The toasting surface 327 can alternatively be of aluminum, stainlesssteel, Teflon-coated steel, or any other suitable conductivematerial(s). A heating element 328 or heat source coupled to thetoasting surface 327 can also be of any other suitable type orconfiguration.

3.4 Paddles

The buttering and toasting system includes stack of paddle assembliesarranged vertically along the toasting surface 327. Each paddle assemblycan include a compression paddle that is operable between a compressposition and a release position, wherein the compression paddledepresses a bun heel against the toasting surface 327 in the compressposition and releases the bun heel in the release position. Each paddleassembly can also include a gate paddle: arranged below a compressionpaddle in the corresponding paddle assembly; that cooperates with thecorresponding compression paddle to define a toasting stage; and that isoperable between a retain position and a dispense position, wherein thegate paddles vertically supports a bun heel in the retain position andpasses the bun heel downward in the dispense position.

The paddle assemblies can include compression and gate paddles that aresubstantially transparent (or translucent) to enable bun heels passingdownward along the toasting surface 327 to be viewed by an operatorand/or by patrons near the automated foodstuff assembly apparatus. Forexample, the paddles can be of transparent or translucent heat-resistantplastic, of glass, or of a metal (e.g., aluminum) mesh of a high aspectratio (i.e., open area to wire size). Alternatively, the paddles can beof aluminum, stainless steel, Teflon-coated mild steel, or of any othersuitable material.

In one implementation, the paddle assemblies are arranged in a verticalstack adjacent the butter stage 310 and the toast stage 320 with onecompression paddle arranged over a corresponding gate paddle per paddleassembly. Each compression paddle in the vertical stack can pivot aboutan axis substantially parallel to the toasting surface 327. Inparticular, a compression paddle can pivot inwardly into the compressposition to compress an adjacent bun heel directly onto the toastingsurface 327 (or onto the permeable surface 314 of the butter stage 310),and the compression paddle can pivot outwardly into the release positionto release a bun heel from the toasting surface 327. Similarly, a gatepaddle can pivot inwardly into the restrain position to verticallysupport a bun adjacent the toasting surface 327 (or adjacent thepermeable surface 314 of the butter stage 310), and the gate paddle canpivot outwardly into the dispense position to pass a bun heel downwardinto a subsequent paddle assembly (or into a box or other containerbelow). The compression and gate paddles can pivot about the same ordissimilar axes. Alternatively, the compression paddles can be supportedby linkages that translate and/or rotate the compression paddles betweenthe compress and release positions, and the gate paddles can besimilarly supported by linkages that translate and/or rotatecorresponding gate paddles between the restrain and dispense positions.

Each compression paddle can define a concave cupped or domed cavityfacing the toasting surface 327, wherein the cavity receive a bun heel(or a bun crown) and functions to substantially center the bun heelwithin the compression paddle, such as shown in FIG. 11. Furthermore,each gate paddle can define a spaded end facing the toasting surface327, as shown in FIG. 11, wherein the spaded end of the gate paddlereceives a bun heel (or a bun crown) and functions to catch a bun heeldispensed from a paddle assembly or the slicing mechanism above and toguide the bun heel back toward the toasting surface 327. Each gatepaddle can additionally or alternatively include a lip 325 extendingtoward the toasting surface 327 and configured to catch a bun heel (or abun crown) dispensed from above.

Each compression paddle can further define a flexure or other flexiblestructure between a pivot (or other linkage connection) and the end ofthe compression paddle adjacent the toasting surface 327. In particular,a flexibility (or elasticity) of a compression paddle can be tuned to anelasticity (or “loft” and/or height) of bun heels (and/or bun crowns)dispensed into the buttering and toasting system such that the paddledoes not plastically deform or “squish” bun heels (and/or crown heels)passing through the buttering and toasting system. For example, eachcompression paddle can include a first rigid section coupled to theactuator, a second rigid section defining a broad surface for contactingand compressing bun heels, and a metallic spring arranged between andconnecting the first rigid section to the second rigid section, themetallic spring sized for a spring constant suitable to prevent plasticdeformation of a bun heel (or a bun crown) by the paddle. In anotherexample, the compression paddle can be of a flexible material and candefine a flexure section of sufficient length and sufficiently minimalcross-section between the camshaft and the cup such that the flexuresection yields (i.e., bends) under resistance by the bun heel to preventover-compression of the bun heel. However, the compression paddle can beof any other suitable form and/or of any other suitable material.

Alternatively, because the slicing mechanism can cut bun heels ofsubstantially uniform thickness and dispense these bun heels into thebuttering and toasting system, each compression paddle in a first set ofcompression paddles configured to handle bun heels can include a camfollower and a cup rigidly coupled to the cam follower and configured toconstrain the bun heel directly against the second toasting surface327B. In this implementation, each cam follower coupled to a compressionpaddle in the first set of compression paddles can be position toachieve a target gap between a cup at the end of the correspondingcompression paddle and the toasting surface 327 (or the butteringsurface), wherein the target gap approximates the thickness of bun heelscut by the slicing mechanism less a target compression of the bun heelsonto the toasting surface 327 (e.g., 2 millimeters). However, becausethe height of whole bread buns may vary and because the slicingmechanism may dispense bun crowns of varying heights, each compressionpaddle in the second set of compression paddles configured to handle buncrowns can include: a cam follower; a cup opposite the cam follower andconfigured to constrain a bun heel directly against the first toastingsurface 327; and a spring (or flexure, or other flexible structure ormechanism) interposed between the cam follower and the cup andcharacterized by an effective spring constant less than a springconstant characteristic of a material of the bun crown. Each compressionpaddle in the second set of compression paddles can therefore be “tuned”to apply a target pressure onto an adjacent bun crown, wherein thetarget pressure is sufficient to achieve proper contact between theinterior surface of the bun crown and the second toasting surface 327Bbut not so great as to permanently deform the bun crown, as describedabove.

3.5 Actuator

The actuator 331 selectively transitions the compression paddles betweenthe release position and the compress position and selectivelytransitions the gate paddles between the retain position and thedispense position according to an operational sequence to sequentiallyadvance a series of bun heels down the toasting surface 327. Generally,the actuator 331 functions to drive the compression paddles betweencompress and release positions and to drive the gate paddles betweenrestrain and dispense positions according to the operational sequence inorder to serially shift buns downward from the slicing mechanism, intothe butter stage 310, and along the toasting surface 327 (and into achute that deposits the bun heels into a box or other container).

In one implementation, the actuator 331 includes a rotary motor (e.g.,an electric stepper motor, a DC motor, a servo motor, an air motor) anda camshaft 332 actuated by the rotary motor. In this implementation, thecamshaft 332 can be arranged vertically and adjacent the toastingsurface 327 with cam lobes 333 aligned with each compression paddle andwith each gate paddle along the butter stage 310 and the toast stage320. In one example implementation, each paddle is retained by a pivotbetween the camshaft 332 and the toasting surface 327, and each paddledefines a cam follower extending from the pivot toward the camshaft 332to contact a corresponding cam lobe on the camshaft 332. In anotherexample implementation, each paddle is retained by a pivot offset fromthe toasting surface 327, the camshaft 332 is arranged between thepivots and the toasting surface 327, and each paddle defines a camfollower (between the corresponding pivot and broad surface thatcontacts bun heels) extending toward the camshaft 332 to contact acorresponding cam lobe. Thus, as the rotary motor rotates the camshaft332, the cam lobes on the camshaft 332 can contact corresponding camfollowers of the compression and gate paddles to transition thecompression and gate paddles between the compress and release positionsand between the restrain and dispense positions, respectively.

In one example, the buttering and toasting system can include: a firstpaddle assembly 311 including a first compression paddle 311A and afirst gate paddle 311B, wherein the first compression paddle ismechanically coupled to a first lobe on the camshaft 332, and whereinthe first gate paddle is arranged vertically below the first compressionpaddle and is mechanically coupled to a second lobe on the camshaft 332;and a second paddle assembly 322 including a second compression paddle322A and a second gate paddle 322B, wherein the second compressionpaddle is arranged vertically below the first gate paddle and ismechanically coupled to a third lobe on the camshaft 332, and whereinthe second gate paddle is arranged vertically below the secondcompression paddle and is mechanically coupled to a fourth lobe on thecamshaft 332, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10A.

In the foregoing implementation, each cam lobe can define a closed trackthat captures the cam follower coupled to the corresponding paddle suchthat the position of the corresponding paddle is (nearly) fullyconstrained throughout actuation of the paddle. Alternatively, thebuttering and toasting system can include a spring 335 arranged betweeneach cam lobe and the corresponding paddle and configured to drive thecam follower into the cam lobe. In one example, the buttering andtoasting system includes a coil spring (e.g., a hairpin spring) betweeneach cam and cam follower and configured to drive the cam follower ontothe corresponding cam lobe. In this example, the spring can becharacterized by an effective spring constant (projected at the cup)less than a spring constant characteristic a material of the type of bundispensed by the slicing mechanism in order to prevent over-compressionof bun heel (or bun crown), as described above.

Alternatively, the buttering and toasting system can include a foampanel 334 (e.g., a silicone foam panel) adjacent the camshaft 332 andopposite the toasting surface 327, and each paddle can include a fingerextending from its cam follower to the foam panel 334. The foam panel334 can yield to a finger as the corresponding paddle is open andclosed, and the foam can supply sufficient resistance to the finger todrive the cam follower of the paddle onto the corresponding cam lobeand/or toward either the fully-open or fully-closed position adjacentthe toasting surface 327. In this example, the (single) foam panel 334can thus locate (e.g., provide a restorative spring force onto) allpaddles in the set of paddle assemblies, and the foam panel 334 can bereplaced in a single unit, such as if the foam panel 334 is soiled orworn. The foam panel 334 can also be characterized by a durometertailored to the hardness of buns dispensed into the buttering andtoasting system such that a suitable amount of pressure is applied tobun heels (and bun crowns) by the compression paddles withoutsubstantially (or plastically) deforming the bun heels (and bun crowns),as described above. The foam panel 334 can therefore also be exchangedwith a second foam panel 334 of alternate durometer in order toaccommodate a different type of bun (e.g., harder buns, softer buns)loaded into the bun dispenser.

The camshaft 332 can define a set of cam lobes at various phases andcharacterized by various dwell durations such that continuous rotationof the camshaft 332 at a substantially constant speed cycles thecompression paddles between compress and release positions and the gatepaddles between restrain and dispense positions according to theoperational sequence, thereby serially and intermittently releasing acolumn of bun heels downward along the buttering surface and thetoasting surface 327. In particular, a first compression paddle adjacentthe butter stage 310 can open (i.e., transition from the compressposition into the release position) while a first gate paddle adjacentthe butter stage 310 remains closed in order to receive and verticallysupport a first bun heel received from the slicing mechanism above. Asthe camshaft 332 rotates, a first cam lobe can release (or activelydrive) the first compression paddle into the first bun heel to force thefirst bun heel against the permeable surface 314 of the butter stage310. Subsequently, the first gate paddle can open as a secondcompression paddle adjacent the toast stage 320 also opens. With thesecond gate paddle adjacent the toast stage 320 closed, the firstcompression paddle can open to release the first bun heel from thebutter stage 310 into the toast stage 320. The second compression paddlecan then close to drive the first bun heel against the toasting surface327 as the first gate paddle closes in preparation to receive a secondbun heel from the slicing mechanism above. Additional toast sub-stagesbelow the second compression paddle and the second gate paddle canfurther cooperate to receive the first bun heel, to compress the firstbun heel against the toasting surface 327 to achieve a target degree oftoast for the corresponding toast sub-stage, and to release the firstbun heel downward.

Therefore, the actuator 331 can rotate the camshaft 332 to: sequentiallyopen the first compression paddle to catch the bun crown on the firstgate paddle; close the first compression paddle to compress the slicedface of bun crown against the permeable surface 314; open the first gatepaddle; open the first compression paddle to release the bun crown fromthe butter stage 310. The actuator 331 can further rotate the camshaft332 to: sequentially open the second compression paddle to catch the buncrown on the second gate paddle; close the second compression paddle tocompress the sliced face of bun crown against the toasting surface 327;open the second gate paddle; and open the second compression paddle torelease the bun crown toward the third paddle assembly 323.

Alternatively, in a paddle assembly, a gate paddle can open after acorresponding compression paddle to release a heel bun into a lowerstage, or a compression paddle and a corresponding gate paddle in apaddle assembly can open substantially simultaneously to release a heelbun into a lower stage.

In one example, the buttering and toasting system includes: a firstpaddle assembly 311 including a first compression paddle 311Amechanically coupled to a first lobe on the camshaft 332 and a firstgate paddle 311B arranged vertically below the first compression paddleand mechanically coupled to a second lobe on the camshaft 332; a secondpaddle assembly 322 including a second compression paddle 322A arrangedvertically below the first gate paddle and mechanically coupled to athird lobe on the camshaft 332 and a second gate paddle 322B arrangedvertically below the second compression paddle and mechanically coupledto a fourth lobe on the camshaft 332; and a third paddle assembly 323including a third compression paddle 323A arranged vertically below thesecond gate paddle and mechanically coupled to a fifth lobe on thecamshaft 332 and a third gate paddle 323B arranged vertically below thethird compression paddle and mechanically coupled to a sixth lobe on thecamshaft 332. In this example, the fifth lobe and the sixth lobe can bephased on the camshaft 332 in advance of the third lobe and the fourthlobe, and the third lobe and the fourth lobe can be phased on thecamshaft 332 in advance of the first lobe and the second lobe. Theactuator 331 can therefore rotate the camshaft 332 in a forwarddirection to serially release a third bun crown from the third paddleassembly 323, to release a second bun crown from the second paddleassembly 322 into the third paddle assembly 323, and to then release afirst bun crown from the first paddle assembly 311 into the secondpaddle assembly 322.

Furthermore, for the buttering and toasting system that includes fourpaddle assemblies, the camshaft 332 can actuate the compression and gatepaddles in the four paddle assemblies according to the operationalsequence shown in FIG. 10A. For example, in addition to the exampledescribed above, the toast stage 320 can further include a fourth paddleassembly 324 arranged vertically below the third paddle assembly 323 andconfigured to catch a bun heel (or a bun crown) released from the thirdpaddle assembly 323, to compress the sliced face of the bun heeldirectly against the toasting surface 327, and to release the bun heelfrom the toast stage 320.

The actuator 331 can thus rotate the camshaft 332 at a substantiallyconstant speed such that bun heels enter into subsequent stages of thebuttering and toasting system at a substantially constant rate, therebyyielding a substantially consistent degree of toast on the interiorsurface of each bun heel passing through the buttering and toastingsystem. The actuator 331 can also vary the speed of rotation of thecamshaft 332 to alter an amount of time that a bun heels contacts (e.g.,is compressed against) the toasting surface 327, thereby controlling adegree of toast of the bun heel. For example, for a buttering andtoasting system that includes four stages for a total bun heel capacityof four bun heels at any time during operation, the buttering andtoasting system can track an amount of time that each bun heel is incontact with the toasting surface 327. In this example, the automatedfoodstuff assembly apparatus can receive custom hamburger ordersspecifying desired toast levels (e.g., light, medium, or dark or levels1 through 10) and can assign a toast level to a particular bun (i.e., toeach bun heel and bun crown pair) based on a particular custom hamburgerorder corresponding to the particular bun. The actuator 331 can thusspeed up and slow down rotation of the camshaft 332 as the particularbun enters and exits the butter and toast stages to achieve(approximately) the toast level specified for the particular bun in thecustom hamburger order.

In one implementation, the buttering and toasting system adjusts thedegree to which a bun heel is toasted by timing release of the bun heelfrom the lowest paddle assembly in the toast stage 320. In the exampleof the buttering and toasting system that includes four paddleassemblies, the fourth (i.e., the lowest) paddle assembly can be phasedin advance of the third paddle assembly 323, which can be phased aheadof the second paddle assembly 322, etc. The actuator 331 can thus indexthe camshaft 332 forward to release a bun heel from the fourth paddleassembly 324 once a target toast duration for the bun heel. In thisexample, the actuator 331 can close the second paddle assembly 322against the bun heel for a static toast duration, close the third paddleassembly 323 against the bun heel for the same static toast duration,and then close the fourth paddle assembly 324 against the bun heel for avariable toast duration between a minimum toast duration defined by amaximum speed of the camshaft 332 and the static toast duration, asshown in FIG. 10B. In particular, for a lightest degree of toastspecified for a particular bun heel currently in the third paddleassembly 323, the actuator 331 can rotate the camshaft 332 through afull rotation to release the particular bun heel from the third paddleassembly 323 into the fourth paddle assembly 324, to release a secondbun heel from the second paddle assembly 322 into the third paddleassembly 323, to release a third bun heel from the first paddle assembly311 into the third paddle assembly 323, etc., thereby indexing the setof buns down the toast stage 320. In this example, the actuator 331 cancontinue to rotate camshaft 332 past a full rotation (e.g., 30° passed afull 360° rotation) at a full rotation speed to immediately release theparticular bun heel from the fourth paddle assembly 324, therebyachieving a minimum degree of toast on the particular bun heel.Alternatively, the actuator 331 can pause between the full 360° rotationand the 30° additional rotation—which releases the particular bun heelfrom the fourth paddle assembly 324—for a variable toast duration inorder to corresponding to a higher degree of toast for the bun heel. Yetalternatively, the actuator 331 can pause for the full static toastduration between the full 360° rotation and a subsequent full 360°rotation to index the set of buns down the toast stage 320 and torelease the particular bun heel from the toast stage 320. Therefore, foreach bun heel (and for each bun crown) passing through the toast stage320, the buttering and toasting system can calculate a variable toastduration proportional to a custom degree of toast associated with a bunheel (and bun crown) and can release the bun heel from the final paddleassembly in the toast stage 320 once the bun has been compressed againstthe toasting surface 327 by the final paddle assembly for the variabletoast duration.

However, the actuator 331 can manipulate the compression and gatepaddles in any other suitable way to index bun heels through thebuttering and toasting system to achieve a consistent, target, and/orcustom degree of toast on each bun heel dispensed there through.

In a similar implementation, the buttering and toasting system caninclude a first camshaft 332 and a second camshaft 332, the firstcamshaft 332 defining lobes that actuate the set of compression paddles,and the second camshaft 332 defining lobes that actuate the set of gatepaddles. The actuator 331 (e.g., one or more electric motors) can thusdrive the first and second camshafts in unison or independently toadvance bun heels through the butter and toast stages.

In another implementation, the buttering and toasting system can includea set of actuators that are independently controlled, and each actuatorin the set can be coupled to one paddle (or a subset of paddles in thesets of paddles) to selectively and independently open and close eachpaddle. For example, each actuator in the set can include anindependently-controlled pneumatic or electromechanical linear solenoidcoupled to a corresponding compression paddle or gate paddle. However,the buttering and toasting system can include any other type and/ornumber of actuators that can function in any other way to actuate thecompression and gate paddles to move bun heels across the verticalsurface of the butter stage 310 and the toast stage 320.

3.6 Dispenser

One variation of the buttering and toasting system further includes adispenser 350 that functions to guide the bun heel into a box (or othercontainer). Generally, the dispenser 350 functions to receive a bun heelreleased—in a substantially vertical orientation—from a final toastingstage, to transition the bun heel into a substantially horizontal,toasted-side-up orientation, and to deposit the bun heel into a sandwichbox. (Alternatively, the dispenser 350 can deposit the bun heel onto aplate, onto a sandwich or hamburger assembly platen, etc.)

In one implementation, the buttering and toasting system includes adispenser paddle assembly 355 arranged below the final (e.g., the thirdor the fourth) paddle assembly and configured to receive the bun heel(or the bun crown) from the toast stage 320, to rotate the bun heel, andto dispense the bun heel into a container arranged below the dispenserpaddle assembly with the sliced face of the bun heel facing upwardtoward the toast stage 320. In this implementation, the dispenser paddleassembly can include a slide 356, a layer paddle 357, and a box supportplaten 158, as shown in FIG. 8. In this implementation, the slide 356extends downward (from substantially vertical) proximal a lowest edge ofthe toasting surface 327 (and/or proximal a lowest toasting gate alongthe toasting surface 327) and curves away from the toasting surface 327such that a bun heel released onto the slide 356 is released toward thelayer paddle 357 at an angle from horizontal with the exterior surfaceof the bun heel facing downward and the toasted interior surface of thebun heel facing upward. The layer paddle 357 defines a leading edge thatextends toward and under the exit of the slide 356, and the layer paddle357 is pivot about a laterally-supported axle by a first actuator (e.g.,an electromechanical solenoid) coupled to the lateral axle or to thelayer paddle 357. Once a bun heel lands on the layer paddle 357 (withtoasted face up) after release from the slide 356, the first actuatorpivots the leading edge of the layer paddle 357 downward, therebydispensing the bun heel (with toasted face up) into an open box arrangedbelow. The box support platen 158 is arranged below the layer paddle 357and the kicker paddle 358 and aligns one side of an open hinged boxbelow the dispenser 350. In particular, the box support platen 158 cansupport an individual or a stack of cardboard boxes, Styrofoam boxes,paper boxes, or boxes of any other suitable material defining a firstbox halve hinged to a second box halve (e.g., by a living hinge), thefirst box halve defining a circumferential wall surrounding a top of thebox (as defined when the box is closed), and the second box halvedefining a circumferential wall surrounding a bottom of the box, eachhalve of the box thus defining an interior corner along and below thehinge of the box when the box is open. Thus, by pivoting downward towardan open box below, the layer paddle 357 can release the bun heel towardthe interior corner of the second halve of the box. With one end of thebun heel constrained by the interior corner of the second halve of thebox, the bun heel can drop fully into the second halve of the box withthe bottom of the bun heel lying against the bottom of the second halveof the box and the toasted surface of the bun heel facing upward.

In the foregoing implementation, the dispenser 350 further includes akicker paddle 358 arranged under the exit of the slide 356 and oppositethe layer paddle 357. In particular, the kicker paddle 358 can besupported by a second laterally-supported axle driven by a secondactuator, and the actuator can pivot the kicker paddle 358 toward thelayer panel if a heel bun dispensed onto the layer paddle 357 sticks tothe layer paddle 357 or falls incorrectly into the interior corner ofthe second halve of the box. In particular, the kicker paddle 358 cantap a stuck bun heel off of the layer paddle 357 and/or realign a bunheel within the second halve of the box.

In the foregoing implementation, the slide 356 can define a concave(e.g., semicircular, elliptical) profile along its outlet edge. Theslide 356 can also include one or more linear section, curvilinearsections, or sections of any other suitable geometry. Furthermore, awall or other surface behind the layer paddle 357 opposite the slide 356output can be substantially elastic or “soft” to absorb impact of a bunheel on the wall. For example, a silicone foam sheath can be arrangedover a vertical wall behind the layer paddle 357, and a bun heel cancontact and can then be slowed by the silicone foam sheath before beingdispensed into the second halve of the box. The dispenser 350 can alsoinclude an actuatable plunger arranged over the second end of the boxand extensible toward the second halve of the box to settle a bun heeldispensed therein. The dispenser 350 can additionally or alternativelyinclude a guide—such as a flapper—arranged over the second halve of thebox or along a conveyor supporting the box support platen 158, whereinthe guide contacts a bun heel contained within the second halve of a boxto drive the bun heel into a particular corner of the second halve ofthe box. However, the dispenser 350 can include any other one or morecomponents arranged in any other way within the automated foodstuffassembly apparatus, and the components of the dispenser 350 cancooperate in any other suitable way to deposit a bun heel from a finaltoasting stage adjacent the toasting surface 327 into a halve of an openbox below.

The dispenser 350 can selectively manipulate the kicker paddle 358 andthe layer paddle 357 as each additional bun is dispensed from thetoasting surface 327, such as based on sensed contact between a bun heelor crown and a mechanical sensor arranged within the chute or based on aposition of a bun heel or crown determined by analyzing an image of thechute area captured by a camera (or other optical sensor) based on oneor more machine vision techniques. However, the dispenser 350 canselectively manipulate the kicker paddle 358 and the layer paddle 357based on or in response to any other detected event or trigger detectedin any other way.

In another implementation, the dispenser 350 includes a nozzle 351coupled to a compressed gas (e.g., air, nitrogen) supply via a valve.The nozzle is arranged proximal an outlet end of the toasting surface327, as shown in FIG. 12, and the dispenser 350 selectively actuates thevalve to displace a bun heel from the toasting surface 327 into a box(or other container) below the toasting surface 327.

In another implementation, the dispenser 350 includes a variable-pitchauger 353 arranged below the toasting surface 327, as shown in FIG. 13.In this implementation, the auger defines a narrow pitch at its inletside directly below the outlet end of the toasting surface 327, theinlet end of the auger thus supporting a bun heel substantiallyvertically on its end once dispensed from the toasting surface 327, asshown in FIG. 13. The dispenser 350 can then trigger a rotary actuatorcoupled to the auger to drive the bun heel along the auger and toward anoutlet end of the auger. However, the auger can define an increasinglywider pitch toward its outlet to enable a bun heel to rotate down into ahorizontal, face up position proximal an outlet end of the auger. Theauger can then dispense the bun heel face up into an open box (or othercontainer) arranged below the outlet end of the auger, as shown in FIG.13. The geometry of the auger can also be such that less than one fullrotation of the auger can rotate a bun heel from the substantiallyvertical orientation—as received from bun toaster subsystem—into asubstantially horizontal orientation for dispensation into a box below.

3.7 Bun Crown

One variation of the buttering and toasting system additionally oralternatively includes: a second butter stage 310 including a secondsubstantially vertical surface dispensing butter onto a bun crown; asecond toasting surface 327B including a second substantially verticaltranslucent toasting surface 327; a second set of compression paddlesarranged vertically in a stack adjacent and substantially parallel thesecond toasting surface 327B, a compression paddle in the second set ofpaddles operable between a compress position and a release position, acompression paddle depressing a bun crown against the second toastingsurface 327B in the compress position and releasing the bun crown in therelease position; a second set of gate paddles, a gate paddle in thesecond set of gate paddles arranged below a corresponding compressionpaddle in the second set of compression paddles, cooperating with thecorresponding compression paddle to define a toasting stage, andoperable between a retain position and a dispense position, a gatepaddle vertically supporting a bun crown in the retain position andreleasing the bun crown in the dispense position; and an actuator(physically coextensive or physically distinct from the actuatordescribed above) selectively transitioning the second set of compressionpaddles between the release position and the compress position andselectively transitioning the second set of gate paddles between theretain position and the dispense position according to a sequence tosequentially advance a series of bun crowns down the second toastingsurface 327B. In this variation, the buttering and toasting system canalso additionally or alternatively a second dispenser that guides a buncrown into a box.

In this variation, the second butter stage 310, the second sets ofcompression and gate paddles, the second toasting surface 327B, thesecond actuator, and/or the second dispenser can operate substantiallysimultaneously with the butter stage 310, the toast stage 320, the setor paddle assemblies, etc. described above to substantiallysimultaneously receive a bun crown and a bun heel, to butter interiorsurfaces of both the bun crown and the bun heel, to toast the interiorsurfaces of both the bun crown and the bun heel, and to dispense the buncrown and the bun heel, such as into a first halve and a second halve ofan open box, such as shown in FIG. 8. In this implementation, a singlecamshaft 332—driven by the actuator as described above—can actuatecompression and gate paddles in both the first and second sets of paddleassemblies. Alternatively, a first camshaft 332 can actuate the firstset of paddle assemblies, a second camshaft 332 can actuate the secondset of paddle assemblies, and a single actuator can drive both the firstand second camshafts. Yet alternatively, a first actuator can drive afirst camshaft 332 to actuate the first set of paddle assemblies, and asecond actuator can drive a second camshaft 332 to actuate the secondset of paddle assemblies.

The butter stage 310 can also incorporate a single vessel 312 into which(liquefied or heated) butter is pumped or stored, and perforated orotherwise butter-permeable surfaces on a first side and on a second sideof the vessel 312 (opposite the first side) can dispense butter onto bunheels and onto bun crowns, respectively. Alternatively, the butter stage310 and the second butter stage 310 can be discrete components withinthe automated foodstuff assembly apparatus. Furthermore, as describedabove, a single heating element 328 or set of heating elements can beinterposed between the toasting surface 327 and the second toastingsurface 327B to define a substantially transparent toasting unit, andthe first and second sets of paddle assemblies can retain bun heels bunand crowns along the first and second toasting surfaces, respectively,as shown in FIG. 9, such that both a bun heel and a matched bun crowncan be viewed simultaneously from various vantage points around thebuttering and toasting system. However, the buttering and toastingsystem for bun heels and/or the buttering and toasting system for buncrowns can be arranged in any other way and can cooperate in any otherway to received freshly-sliced bun heels and bun crowns and to outputfreshly-buttered and freshly-toasted bun heels and bun crowns,respectively.

The systems and methods described herein can be embodied and/orimplemented at least in part as a machine configured to receive acomputer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions. Theinstructions can be executed by computer-executable componentsintegrated with the application, applet, host, server, network, website,communication service, communication interface,hardware/firmware/software elements of a user computer or mobile device,wristband, smartphone, or any suitable combination thereof. Othersystems and methods of the embodiment can be embodied and/or implementedat least in part as a machine configured to receive a computer-readablemedium storing computer-readable instructions. The instructions can beexecuted by computer-executable components integrated bycomputer-executable components integrated with apparatuses and networksof the type described above. The computer-readable medium can be storedon any suitable computer readable media such as RAMs, ROMs, flashmemory, EEPROMs, optical devices (CD or DVD), hard drives, floppydrives, or any suitable device. The computer-executable component can bea processor but any suitable dedicated hardware device can(alternatively or additionally) execute the instructions.

As a person skilled in the art will recognize from the previous detaileddescription and from the figures and claims, modifications and changescan be made to the embodiments of the invention without departing fromthe scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.

1. (canceled)
 2. A system comprising: a hopper comprising an elongatedhousing configured to contain a row of food products, wherein theelongated housing defines a discharge end through which the foodproducts are dispensed out of the elongated housing, and wherein theelongated housing defines a pressurized end opposite the discharge end;a piston arranged within the hopper between the pressurized end of thehopper and the row of food products; a permeable seal interposed betweenan interior wall of the hopper and a surface of the piston, wherein thepermeable seal cooperates with the hopper and the piston to define aclosed volume between the piston and the pressurized end of the hopper,and wherein the permeable seal is configured to bleed gas from theclosed volume toward the discharge end of the hopper; a gas supplyselectively supplying gas into the closed volume to displace the pistontoward the discharge end of the hopper; and a receiver positioned toreceive the food products dispensed from the discharge end of theelongated housing, wherein the receiver is positioned to allow the foodproducts to move along at least a portion of a length of the receiverunder a gravitational force.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein: thehopper includes a surface that supports each food product in the row offood products; the system further comprises a roller that rotates aboutan axis parallel to the surface; and the roller inhibits release of oneof the food products in the row of food products into the receiver. 4.The system of claim 2, further comprising: a distance sensor configuredto output a signal proportional to a distance between the distancesensor and a surface of a nearest one of the food products in the row offood products and wherein, during a dispense cycle, the gas supplysupplies gas to the closed volume at a flow rate determined based on thesignal output by the distance sensor.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein:the gas supply comprises a pressurized gas reservoir and a valvearranged between the pressurized gas reservoir and the closed volume;the valve is configured to, during the dispense cycle, selectively openaccording to a duty cycle determined based on the signal output by thedistance sensor; and the valve is configured to close in response to astep change in the signal output by the distance sensor to complete thedispense cycle.
 6. The system of claim 2, further comprising: a pop-offvalve fluidly coupled to the pressurized end of the hopper, wherein thepop-off valve is configured to open in response to a detection ofrelease of one of the food products in the row of food products out ofthe discharge end during a dispense cycle.
 7. The system of claim 2,wherein the piston comprises a tongue that extends (i) toward thedischarge end of the hopper and (ii) over at least a portion of one ofthe food products in the row of food products.
 8. The system of claim 2,wherein: the piston defines a first end facing the pressurized end ofthe hopper and a second end facing the discharge end of the hopper, thepermeable seal comprises a first seal portion and a second seal portion,the first seal portion is arranged about a circumference of the pistonadjacent the first end of the piston, the second seal portion isarranged about the circumference of the piston adjacent the second endof the piston, and the first seal portion and the second seal portioncooperate to bleed gas from the first end of the piston to the secondend of the piston.
 9. The system of claim 2, further comprising areceptacle, wherein the receptacle is: fluidly coupled to the gassupply, configured to transiently receive the pressurized end of thehopper, configured to seal against the pressurized end of the hopper,and configured to support the hopper.
 10. The system of claim 2, furthercomprising: a second hopper configured to contain a second row of foodproducts, the second hopper defining a second discharge end configuredto dispense food products into the receiver, the second hopper defininga second pressurized end opposite the second discharge end; a secondpiston arranged within the second hopper between the second pressurizedend of the second hopper and the second row of food products; and asecond permeable seal interposed between an interior wall of the secondhopper and a surface of the second piston, wherein the second permeableseal cooperates with the second hopper and the second piston to define asecond closed volume between the second pressurized end of the secondhopper and the second piston and is configured to bleed gas from thesecond closed volume toward the second discharge end of the secondhopper, and wherein the gas supply selectively supplies gas: to theclosed volume to advance the piston toward the discharge end of thehopper and to the second closed volume to advance the second pistontoward the second discharge end of the second hopper.
 11. The system ofclaim 2, further comprising: a blade extending across the receiverbetween first and second ends of the receiver; and a cutting blockarranged in the receiver and configured to advance from a load positionto a pierce position to a slice position during a dispense cycle,wherein: in the load position, the cutting block is adjacent the firstend of the receiver, in the pierce position, a leading edge of thecutting block is offset from the blade by less than a length of the oneof the food products, and in the slice position, the leading edge of thecutting block extends past the blade to sever a first portion of the oneof the food products from a second portion of the one of the foodproducts.
 12. A system comprising: a dispenser assembly comprising ahopper and an advancing system, wherein the hopper defines a first endand a second end and is configured to hold a row of food products,wherein the advancing system is configured to dispense the food productsout of the hopper through the second end; a receiver positioned toreceive the food products dispensed from the second end of the hopper,wherein the receiver is positioned to allow the food products to movealong at least a portion of a length of the receiver under agravitational force; a blade; an actuator coupled to the blade; and acutting block arranged in the receiver and configured to advance one ofthe food products discharged from the hopper along at least a portion ofa length of the receiver, wherein the cutting block applies a force onthe one of the food products to urge the one of the food productsagainst the blade while the actuator moves the blade relative to thereceiver.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the advancing systemcomprises a piston arranged within the hopper between the first end ofthe hopper and the row of food products.
 14. The system of claim 13,wherein: the advancing system comprises a permeable seal including afirst seal portion and a second seal portion; the first seal portion isarranged about a circumference of the piston adjacent a first end of thepiston; the second seal portion is arranged about the circumference ofthe piston adjacent a second end of the piston; and the first sealportion and the second seal portion are configured to cooperate to bleedgas from the first end of the piston to the second end of the piston.15. The system of claim 13, wherein the piston includes a tongue thatextends (i) toward the second end of the hopper and (ii) over a portionof at least one of the row of food products.
 16. The system of claim 13,wherein the advancing system further comprises: a permeable sealinterposed between an interior wall of the hopper and an adjacentsurface of the piston, wherein: the permeable seal cooperates with thehopper and the piston to define a closed volume between the first end ofthe hopper and the piston, and the permeable seal is configured to bleedgas from the closed volume toward the second end of the hopper; and agas supply selectively supplying gas into the closed volume to displacethe piston toward the second end of the hopper.
 17. The system of claim12, further comprising: a roller configured to rotate about an axisperpendicular to a length of the hopper, wherein a first surface of thehopper supports a first edge of each food product in the row of foodproducts, and wherein a line intersecting the first edges alsointersects the roller.
 18. The system of claim 12, further comprising: adistance sensor aligned with the hopper, wherein the distance sensor isconfigured to output a signal proportional to a distance between thedistance sensor and a surface of a nearest one of the food products inthe row of food products arranged in the hopper.
 19. The system of claim18, wherein: the advancing system comprises a gas supply supplying gasto the hopper between the first end of the hopper and a piston of theadvancing system; and during a dispense cycle, the gas supply suppliesgas to the hopper at a flow rate determined based on the signal outputby the distance sensor.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein: the gassupply comprises a pressurized gas reservoir and a valve arrangedbetween the pressurized gas reservoir and the hopper; and the valve isconfigured to, during the dispense cycle, selectively open according toa duty cycle determined based on the signal output by the distancesensor.
 21. The system of claim 12, further comprising: a pop-off valvefluidly coupled to the hopper, wherein the pop-off valve is configuredto open in response to a detection of release of one of the foodproducts in the row of food products out of the second end of the hopperduring a dispense cycle.